Over 100 illegal miners arrested in Gauteng pre‑dawn blitz
Police also seized five firearms, including an AK‑47.
A pre-dawn raid in Gauteng has resulted in the arrest of 121 suspected illegal miners, with the police and soldiers seizing five firearms, including an AK-47, and other equipment as part of Operation Prosper/Karabo. The coordinated operation took place in Mphahla village, Fochville, at 3am on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulw said that the operation targeted illegal mining activities and associated criminality in Gauteng, recovering five firearms, three pistols, one AK-47 rifle, a self-made pistol, ammunition, and illegal mining equipment such as phendukas, gas bottles, and gold-bearing material.
The arrests represent one of the largest single crackdowns in recent months, highlighting the ongoing struggle against zama-zama syndicates that have destabilized communities and drained the economy. Investigations into the suspects, who are aged between 25 and 43 and hail from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, and South Africa, are ongoing. They face charges including illegal mining, possession of mining gear, and immigration violations.
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