5 illegal miners arrested in Benoni

Mbasa Gqokoma

20 July 2015

Five illegal miners aged 18 and 38-years-old have been arrested for illegal mining in Benoni.

The arrests come after police were investigating a shooting incident in the Pufontein settlement on Sunday where two children were shot and injured.

The five suspects were found in the area with bags of gold dust.

Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago said when they went out there today to investigate they saw a vehicle with 5 occupants looking suspicious, monitored it and followed it into Benoni.

The vehicle was cornered and inside there were 5 guys. They also found 11 bags of what we suspect is gold dust.

The 5 were arrested on suspicions of being illegal miners and over and above their vehicle was confiscated based on the fact that it had bullet holes and there was a report of a shooting earlier, Kgasago added.