In an effort to address the pursuing IllegalMining activities in the Namakwa district, the Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lt Gen Koliswa Otola executed a three in one joint multi-disciplinary operation with the main focus on illicit mining at Nuttabooi and Bontekoei and the town of Kleinsee.
The operations were led by the Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lt Gen Tebello Mosikili, the Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Koliswa Otola, senior officers from the National and Provincial Management and the Namakwa District Commander, Brig Schalk Andrews.
The multi-disciplinary operation was conducted in the Namakwa area and dealt illegal diamond miners a hard blow following a crime intelligence driven operation that was executed over three days which commenced on 13 January 2023 and ended 16 January 2023. During the operation a total of 82 persons were arrested for various offenses.
The operation focused on illegal mining activities in the Port Nolloth and Kleinsee areas during which numerous digging equipment and implements including generators, jigsaws and power tools as well as bags of diamond bearing gravel were seized.
Various SAPS stations and units within the Namakwa district, Provincial components and specialized units participated in the execution of the operation with the assistance of Immigration officials who were on site to process the undocumented persons.
A total of 74 undocumented persons were arrested for Contravention of the Immigration Act, five (5) for Trespassing, one for Possession of an uncut diamond and two for dealing in dagga.
All detainees will be appearing in the Port Nolloth and Springbok court's respectively. The undocumented persons will be escorted to the Lindela Holding facility in Krugersdorp for repatriation to their respective county of origin.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Otola commended the multi-disciplinary task team who executed the disruptive actions and indicated that these disruptive actions sent a clear message to illegal miners that their disregard for the law will not be tolerated and continuous actions in the province will prevail.
