South Africa Arrests Over 200 in Major Illegal Mining Crackdown Security Forces Target Illegal Mining Networks as Government Intensifies Fight Against Organized Crime JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — July 9, 2026 By Poet of Afrique Reporter South African security forces have arrested more than 200 individuals, most of them undocumented foreign nationals, in a major operation targeting illegal mining activities at a gold mine shaft west of Johannesburg. The raid, carried out on Tuesday, involved a joint team of police officers, military personnel, and private security operatives. The operation forms part of the government's broader effort to combat illegal mining and organized crime under Operation Prosper , a national security initiative launched earlier this year. According to police authorities, a total of 217 suspects were arrested during the operation. More than 100 of those detained were reportedly undocumented migrants from Lesotho, while others were citizens of Mozambiqu...