More than 200 arrested in South Africa for illegal mining
Over 200 people have been arrested for illegal mining in South Africa, Africanews and agencies report on July 8th.
Of the 217 arrested in a gold mine shaft near Johannesburg on July 7th, police say more than 100 are undocumented migrants from Lethos. Police also arrested citizens of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in the raid on illegal mines.
The high number of arrests demonstrates the increase of illegal mining in South Africa. Undocumented migrants travel in the thousands to look for gold and valuable minerals in South African mines. Many miners come from South Africa’s neighbouring countries, motivated to work in the mines’ dangerous conditions because of poverty in their home country. These illegal mining operations, South African authorities say, are connected to organised crime, ranging from bribery to assassinations.
There has been recent pressure in South Africa to be more assertive with undocumented migrants, with local groups claiming migrants are taking jobs of South Africans. Thousands of foreign nationals have recently left South Africa in part due to the mounting pressure.
The recent on July 7th are part of Operation Prosper, an initiative to reduce illegal mining and gang violence organised by South Africa’s leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa. The operation, announced in February 2026, involves 2,200 soldiers being assigned to work with police in the streets. Ramaphosa has referred to organised crime as South Africa’s “most immediate threat”.
Africanews plus agencies, Maghrebi.org
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