In an effort to address illicit mining and crimes generated by the illegal operations, the Police Ministry and South African Police Service (SAPS) led by National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, will this weekend engage communities living in the epicentre of illegal mining in Gauteng.
The Police Ministry will on Saturday, 06 August 2022, lead a Ministerial Crime Combating Imbizo in West Village; Krugersdorp. This is the same area where eight young women were gang raped last Thursday, 28 July 2022.
The alleged perpetrators are believed to be illegal miners who live and conduct illicit mining operations in the area.
Police have since arrested of over 80 illegal miners who have appeared in court and some are yet to be linked to the sexual attacks, pending DNA results.
The gang rape that has shocked the country has cast a spotlight on illicit mining as a crime generator in mining areas such as Kagiso, also in the West Rand.
This community of Kagiso will this weekend also have the ear of the Police Ministry and SAPS management, during the second installation of the Crime Combating Imbizo on Sunday, 07 August 2022.
The Crime Combating Izimbizo seek to provide residents with a platform, to discuss and engage the SAPS on identified crimes afflicting the community and set up immediate and long term policing interventions.
The community meetings also aims to promote and improve community police relations.
Members of the media are invited to attend Izimbizo.
