President Cyril Ramaphosa says Pretoria is “tired of criminals operating with impunity” and undermining the country’s economy
South African security forces arrested dozens on Thursday in the latest crackdown on illegal mining. The joint military and police operation in the Soul City settlement near Kagiso, west of Johannesburg, also resulted in the seizure of mining equipment after shacks were searched, according to AFP.
Gauteng’s provincial Police Commissioner Elias Mawela told reporters that over 70 people, the majority of whom were undocumented migrants, were detained for two days in the area, which is located near abandoned gold mines.
Others were arrested for dealing drugs and illegal firearms possession, Mawela added.
Pretoria launched Operation Shanela in May, ahead of next year’s election, in response to rampant crime in the country, which has one of the world’s highest murder rates. The mission enables security forces to conduct routine searches, roadblocks, high-visibility patrols, and the tracking of wanted suspects, with a particular focus on murder and rape suspects.
On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at a ceremony for new police recruits in Kimberley, the capital of the country’s Northern Cape Province, that more than 250,000 arrests have been made since the crackdown began.
Police have also seized over 3,200 firearms and recovered over 1,700 stolen vehicles, Ramaphosa claimed.
“Our country is under siege from criminals. Crime is wreaking havoc in communities, destroying lives and tearing families apart. Crime is undermining our economy, affecting small and large businesses alike, and holding back a sustainable economic recovery,” the president said.