On 10 July 2025, the South African Police Service reported that they had arrested 512 suspects during Operation Vala Umgodi in the month of June. “Nationwide Vala Umgodi operations continue to ...

Five people, aged between 19 and 25, were apprehended in Middleburg during Operation Vala Umgodi for allegedly contravening South Africa’s Immigration Act. According to Captain Mpho Nonyane-Mpe, the ...

Operation Vala Umgodi—which translates to “Fill the Hole”—was introduced as a coordinated response to the country’s worsening illegal mining crisis.

A coordinated series of operations conducted under Operation Vala Umgodi has led to multiple arrests across several provinces for offences including illegal mining, possession of unlicensed firearms, ...

Police have arrested nine people in the Sekhukhune district in Limpopo for illegal mining and violations of the Immigration Act.

In conducting its Vala Umgodi Operation, the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 239 suspects throughout the country.

He said members of the Vala Umgodi task force removed ropes used by community members to deliver supplies to trapped miners, cutting off their lifeline. “They didn’t just target illegal miners - they ...

THE battle against illegal mining through operation Vala Umgodi in Limpopo, South Africa, is gaining momentum with the arrest of three Zimbabwean nationals in the Sekhukhune District.

Vala Umgodi involves multiple departments and has been rolled out in numerous provinces, with operations ongoing. Police said that exit points were established for resurfacing.

Since the inception of the Vala Umgodi operation, approximately 677 suspects have been convicted, demonstrating ongoing enforcement efforts.