-
Operation Vala uMgodi team in Free State Province executed an intelligence driven operation and arrested six suspects for sand mining.
Six suspects are expected to appear in the Theunissen Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on Monday for the contravention of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act.
Police spokesperson Thabo Covane says they were arrested on the Blaawdrift farm in Theunissen last week.
He says the arrests are part of Operation Vala uMgodi whose aim is to combat illegal mining.
Police found three suspects aged 20, 31 and 32 busy mining sand on the identified target location, Blaawdrift Farm near R30 Road Theunissen.
A White FAW Star truck loaded with sand was confiscated.
#sapsFS Operation Vala uMgodi team in Free State Province executed an intelligence driven operation and arrested six suspects. The team carried out a planned disruptive operation to combat #IllegalMining activities prohibited by MPRDA [Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development… pic.twitter.com/rv0qKYDt7i
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) May 17, 2025
Three other suspects aged 34, 35 and 41 were also found mining sand in the same Blaawdrift Farm vicinity.
Another truck, White Mercedes Benz Tipper Lorry, and CAT Tractor Loader Backhoe were also confiscated.
A case docket of Contravention of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002, read with The Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005 Section 4(1), was then opened at Theunissen Police Station.
Related video | Illegal mining crackdown in Free State
