More than 70 people were arrested in Gauteng on Tuesday during a multi-agency operation targeting illegal mining, police said, as officers recovered firearms, explosives and suspected gold-bearing material.
Joint deployment targets illegal mining networks
The arrests were made during an Operation Prosper/Karabo deployment — a joint, multidisciplinary security initiative involving the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force. Authorities remained at the scene to process information and gather evidence, police said.
Acting Gauteng police commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana is expected to provide further details on the arrests and seizures later on Tuesday.
What police found
Police confirmed the recovery of weapons and explosives alongside equipment commonly used in illegal mining. The haul mirrors items seized during previous clampdowns and underlines the potential risks — both criminal and safety-related — posed by unlicensed mining operations.
- Firearms (unlicensed) – seized during the operation
- Explosives and blasting paraphernalia – recovered at the scene
- Mining equipment – generators, jackhammers, drills and related tools
- Suspected gold-bearing material – impounded for forensic analysis
Police have not yet released a full inventory for this deployment, but said officers were processing evidence and preparing case dockets.
Context: earlier week-long operation
The current operation follows earlier enforcement activity between 14 and 20 September, when 39 suspects were arrested in Mohlakeng and the Randfontein central business district. During that week-long push, officers recovered a substantial quantity of explosives along with mining equipment and suspected gold-bearing material.
| Prior operation (14–20 Sept) | Items seized |
|---|---|
| Arrests | 39 suspects |
| Explosives | 17 explosives, 12 blasting cartridges, detonating cord and other components |
| Equipment | Generators, jackhammers, chisels, stampers, refining gear, pumps and drills |
"The suspects were arrested for offences ranging from possession of explosives and suspected gold-bearing material to possession of illegal mining equipment, immigration offences and driving under the influence of alcohol,"
Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko provided that summary of charges related to the earlier deployment.
Local impact and safety concerns
Illegal mining presents multiple hazards: violent competition over sites, the presence of explosives and unregulated refining processes that can endanger workers and nearby communities. In Gauteng, reports of stolen infrastructure, land degradation and dangerous tunnels are frequent in areas where unlicensed miners operate.
Residents living near known hotspots have called for sustained policing and community engagement to prevent criminal syndicates from re-establishing operations once deployments leave an area. Authorities say arrests and seizures are part of a longer-term enforcement strategy that includes intelligence-led interventions.
What happens next
Those arrested will have case dockets prepared while seized materials are subjected to forensic analysis. Police will also investigate the provenance of the weapons and explosives and whether suspects are linked to organised crime networks that traffic gold and explosives.
Major-General Kekana's briefing later on Tuesday is expected to clarify the number of suspects formally charged, the locations targeted during the deployment and any arrests connected to the wider illegal mining supply chain.
As the investigation continues, community members in affected areas are urged to report suspicious activity to their local police stations and to avoid confronting suspected illegal miners, particularly where explosives or weapons might be present.
(Reporting from Gauteng)
