Minister Bheki Cele on Tuesday 11 October 2022 addressed the media at the scene where guns, including over 20 AK47s, 6 000 rounds of ammunition, and an undisclosed amount of money were confiscated.

ALSO READ: Cele returns to North West after arrests of illegal miners

He says those who were arrested during a sting operation by the Hawks on Monday, include 13 Lesotho nationals, 5 South Africans, 1 Zimbabwean and 1 Eswatini national. Cele says the investigations are continuing.

ALSO READ: Illegal mining: More arrests possible in North West

In October 2021, there was a shoot-out incident between the police and illegal miners in the area of Orkney in the Matlosana area, where over 80 miners were arrested by the police.

ALSO READ: Kingpin to be added in illegal mining case in North West

"What we can say is that these results yielded are because of the good work that the police are doing and am very glad that the community is concerned and we will be working together with the community. The results will be even better as we work with communities. They have made some invitations, that it should not only be the zama-zamas, they want issues of cable theft here - which makes life difficult for them - and all that resolved. So the community is on board. We will work together and surely the results will be much better."

Meanwhile, according to the Hawks spokesperson, Katlego Mogale, the 20 suspects are expected to make their first appearance before the Stilfontein Magistrate's Court on Wednesday 12 October 2022.

“In a continuous fight against illegal mining, the North West Hawks, assisted by members of the Hawks' Tactical Management Section, Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit, District Illegal Mining Task Team, Tactical Response Team, Bidvest Protea Coin, and Harmony Gold Mine embarked on an early morning raid at a mine shaft in Stilfontein on 10 October 2022,” Mogale adds.

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