Eleven suspects, aged between 19 and 42, including a foreign national, were arrested during a multi-disciplinary operation in Niekerkshoop, located in the Pixley Ka Seme District, on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
The operation was conducted by members of Operation Vala Umgodi, the Upington Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI), the Priority Crime Specialist Investigation (PCSI), and the Asset Forfeiture Unit.
Authorities targeted a mining area outside Niekerkshoop as part of efforts to address illegal mining in the Northern Cape. According to police, the suspects were found actively engaged in illegal mining activities and were unable to produce permits authorizing them to mine in the area.
Officers confiscated machinery, equipment, and tools believed to have been used in the commission of illicit mining. Bags containing suspected minerals were also seized at the scene.
