Five illegal miners (zama zamas) were arrested in Mutshipisi village in the Malamulele policing area during an operation conducted on Friday, 1 September, after a Vhembe task team, comprising various agencies focusing on illegal mining activities, received a tip-off from local residents about illegal mining operations.
According to the spokesperson for the police in Limpopo, Lt-Col Malesela Ledwaba, two bakkies and one truck fully loaded with precious stones, gas cylinders, and other resources were confiscated. "The police opened a case of Contravention of [the Precious] Metal Act, and the investigations are still ongoing," said Ledwaba.
The five suspects are aged between 21 and 39 years. On Monday, 4 September, Joseph Macuyana, Maanyana Munamula, Clotos Mbishi, Arthur Mathye, and John Shihlangu made their first court appearance in the Malamulele Magistrate's Court. They appeared again on Wednesday (13 September) for a formal bail application, which was postponed, and they are set to appear for the third time on 20 September.
One of the residents, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the illegal miners had arrived with heavy excavation machinery a few years ago and started digging around their village, leaving deep trenches everywhere. The source said the police had been informed about it in 2020 but no action had been taken against the illegal miners. The residents started to complain that they were not benefiting from these illegal mining activities in any way. "At least now they have arrested five people. We were not happy with how they were mining without involving us as residents of this village. The majority of us are looking for jobs, and through mining, we can also find employment and provide for our families," said the source.
Community leader Mr Colbert Chauke said that for the community to get something out of the mining activities would have been great. "They should have consulted us first, and we could have come to an agreement on how the community would benefit too because most of our people are jobless. We wish the government would get involved and assist in job creation because it's not sitting well with us to see zama zamas coming and taking what's ours without giving us a share," he said.