By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise says government is making inroads into destroying criminal activities and has vowed to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that criminals are dealt with.
Modise and other Justice Crime Prevention and Security cluster ministers briefed the media on Friday morning on the progress made in combating organised crime, including illegal mining, cash in transit, and kidnapping.
She says Police have arrested 75 wanted cash-in-transit suspects over the past six months.
“The arrests were made during foiled CIT attempts, during the commission of these crimes, and during targeted tracing operations.
“In April, a syndicate linked to a number of CITs in Gauteng was intercepted in Sebokeng, where 11 suspects were shot and killed. Suspects were intercepted before they left a house used as a safe house en route to commit a CIT.
“19 CIT suspects were shot and killed in Makhado, Limpopo on Friday, 1st September 2023. The 19 were intercepted at a house in Makhado where they were planning to commit a robbery. This group has been linked to several CIT incidents in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo.
“In all these crime scenes, explosives, high calibre firearms, and ammunition were seized as well as high-performance vehicles that were either hijacked or stolen were recovered,” said Modise.
Operation Shanela
Modise says the heightened crime intelligence operation, Operation Shanela, has led to the arrest of 213 059 suspects for various crimes since May.
This includes cash-in-transit robberies, extortion at construction sites, and kidnappings in the past six months.
“During the same period, 2 657 illegal and unwanted firearms were confiscated.
“Through Operation Shanela, in the past six months, 19 299 suspects were arrested for drug possession, and 7 580 were arrested for drug trafficking and dealing,” she said.
With regard to extortion at economic and construction sites, Modise said various threats were identified that impact negatively on the economy of the country.
“From April 2023 to date, 61 suspects linked to these extortions were arrested. Since 2019, 27 accused have already been convicted for a collective 43 years direct imprisonment.”
On kidnapping for ransom, Modise said from April 2023 to date, 98 suspects have been arrested for these crimes and more than 30 victims have been rescued.
The cluster said government continues to deploy Anti-Gang-Unit members in provinces prone to gang violence such as the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.
“190 arrests have thus far been effected in 145 cases,” she said.
Minister of Bheki Cele said police operations are continuing to ensure that criminals are flushed out.
“They are interfering with the lives of communities. They are armed, they need to be pursued,” he said, adding that law enforcement has identified some of the people involved in illegal mining and is on their trail.
“Some of these people are from our neighbouring countries and relevant Ministers are dealing with the matter. We are hoping to find a lasting solution to this matter,” he said.
Illegal mining
Modise says government has made progress in curbing the scourge of illegal mining in South Africa, with 4 067 suspects having been arrested on illegal mining-related charges.
The illegal mining combat team includes the departments of Police, Justice and Correctional Services; Social Development; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; Defence; Home Affairs; and Mineral Resources and Energy, as well as State entities such as the State Security Agency and the National Prosecuting Authority.
Modise said in the past twelve months, government has witnessed an increase in incidents where illegal miners held communities at ransom, committing various violent crimes, including murder and rape.
She added that government would no longer tolerate foreign nationals who continued to attack South Africa’s economy through illegal mining.
“Illegal mining has also been linked to other organised crimes such as gangsterism, human trafficking, money laundering, dealing in illegal weapons and explosives, tax evasion, illegal immigration and transnational organised crimes,” she said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has roped in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist in dealing with illegal mining in the country.
The Ministers find that, of the 4 067 suspects that have been arrested on illegal mining-related charges, 2 739 of them are foreign nationals from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda.
These arrests indicate the multinational nature of illegal mining. Modise said these criminals were being dealt with harshly, regardless of nationality. “We will not become diplomatic when our economy is being attacked through these acts,” she stated.
Modise said the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy was focusing on sealing old mine shafts. There are 6 100 derelict mines in South Africa, with many of them being ownerless, or with owners who cannot be traced.
Notably, there are 1 170 mine openings nationally, of which 518 of them are located in Gauteng.
The mines that still have economic value are being granted to artisanal miners using a legal process overseen by Minerals Council South Africa.
Modise confirmed that government was also planning to review legislation to intensify the role that provinces and local communities can play in curbing illegal mining.
The Ministers agreed that communities have an important role to play in combatting organised crime and illegal mining through exposure and reporting of these activities and suspects to law enforcement agencies.
Particularly, Cele said, community policing forums have received additional funds to help defeat illegal mining-related crime in hotspot areas.
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola said that, as of November, there were 4 068 cases related to the Immigration Act outstanding on the criminal court roll. He affirmed that the conviction rate with regard to these types of crimes was rising in the justice system.
In response to a question about whether foreign nationals under investigation were being deported or detained locally, Lamola said it varied from case to case but that Home Affairs’ capacity to undertake deportations had been ramped up through funds for ten minibus vehicles to conduct this work.
Cele and Modise confirmed that government had engaged with the Ministers of neighbouring countries on the matter, particularly those of Lesotho and Mozambique, to help stop the scourge of illegal mining by foreign nationals in South Africa.