Ten suspected illegal miners have been arrested in Pilgrim’s Rest, in Mpumalanga province, South Africa (SA), during a police operation targeting illicit mining.

Police Spokesperson Mavela Masondo says the suspects, believed to be undocumented foreign nationals, were found with gold-bearing material and tools used in illegal mining activities.

The arrests form part of Operation Vala Umgodi, a broader crackdown on illegal mining across the country.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Graskop Magistrate’s Court in the coming days.

–ChannelAfrica–