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Police have shut down illegal excavations at a mine operating on a farm in Bela Bela, Limpopo, following complaints from the community.
The company has allegedly excavated Mineral Resources on land reserved for agriculture and grazing.
Police visited the mine on 464KR Buiskop Farm last week and shut it down due to noncompliance.
Provincial police spokesperson Col Mawela Ledwaba confirmed that an illegal mining case has opened at Bela Bela. There is no arrest, but relevant statements are still being obtained from relevant witnesses.
The organised crime investigation unit has already taken over the docket. It is engaging with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to inspect this farm as part of investigations to make a proper determination.
According to community leader Alfios Matlwa, who has been at the forefront of fighting for the community, when they arrived at the mine, there were no toilets, water, or offices, and it was not cordoned off.
Sowetan has seen a document showing that Mineral Resources owner Johannes Ferreira’s mining licence expired in March.
Contacted for comment, Ferreira said he knew that they spoke to Alfios, and there is nothing that he can tell the media.
Matlwa said since the activity started, the community had been worried that the mining might affect their houses, and they were also concerned about their health.
They have been trying to engage with Ferreira and get proper documentation from him. He excavated and took the soil to where he turned it into various products, including cement.
On Monday last week, they visited the mine with the police. They discovered that the owner’s licence expired in March. The dust that comes out of the area is causing people to cough. That land is not meant for mining. It is for agricultural purposes and grazing. When the activities started, the municipality had yet to cordon it off.
