JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Operation Prosper for making strides against illegal mining.
He was addressing a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa said joint operations involving members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and SAPS have disrupted illegal mining in the Free State, Gauteng and the Northwest, through high-visibility policing, vehicle checkpoints and air support.
This is since the State of the Nation Address on 12 February 2026.
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According to Ramaphosa, more than 1000 suspects were arrested while 19 firearms, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition and 41 commercial vehicles were seized.
Additionally, operations resulted in the seizure of 83 generators, over 1,000 refining drums, nearly 2,000 kilograms of gold-bearing material and approximately 150 kilograms of gold.
“These actions have disrupted, in reality, the operational and financial lifelines of illegal mining networks,” Ramaphosa noted.
But despite these gains, Ramaphosa acknowledges that successes have not yet pointed to a reduction in organised crime.
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“Because we are dealing with a number of areas where these illegal activities are taking place, the progress might seem to be slow, and yet work is being done,” he said
To prevent the resurgence of these activities, he said the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has closed many illegal shafts, and further closures are planned in the future.
“The police and the defence force continue to secure these locations through ongoing foot patrols, vehicle checkpoints and air-to-ground monitoring systems. So, progress is being made.