South African security forces arrested 217 people, most of them undocumented foreign nationals, during a large-scale operation targeting illegal mining at a gold mine shaft west of Johannesburg, police said.
The raid, carried out this week, involved police, the military and private security personnel as part of a broader government campaign to combat illegal mining and organized crime.
Police said more than 100 of those arrested were undocumented migrants from Lesotho. The detainees also included nationals of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Authorities said firearms and ammunition were seized during the operation.
The arrests form part of “Operation Prosper” , a security initiative launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in February to combat illegal mining, gang violence and organized crime in high-risk areas.
Announcing the operation earlier this year, Ramaphosa described organized crime as South Africa’s “most immediate threat” and authorized the deployment of about 2,200 soldiers to support police operations.
Illegal mining remains a major security and economic challenge in South Africa, where thousands of unlicensed miners, commonly known as ‘zama zamas’, extract gold and other minerals from abandoned mine shafts, often under hazardous conditions.
Many of the miners are believed to have crossed into South Africa from neighboring countries in search of economic opportunities. Authorities say illegal mining operations are frequently controlled by organized criminal syndicates involved in offenses ranging from extortion and illegal firearms trafficking to violent crime.
The latest operation comes as South Africa intensifies enforcement against undocumented migration.
In recent weeks, authorities have stepped up immigration operations amid growing domestic pressure over illegal migration and its perceived impact on employment and public services.
The crackdown also comes against a broader regional backdrop of efforts to curb illicit mineral trade. In northeastern Africa, the conflict in Sudan has fueled cross-border gold smuggling networks, prompting Egypt to strengthen security along its southern border to combat illegal mining and trafficking activities.
