President Cyril Ramaphosa says Operation Prosper has resulted in the arrest of 1 080 people and the seizure of firearms, ammunition, explosives, gold and illegal mining equipment, as government intensifies efforts to dismantle illegal mining networks.
Responding to a parliamentary question on the progress of the operation, President Ramaphosa on Tuesday said tangible and measurable progress has been made since Operation Prosper was announced in the 2026 State of the Nation Address.
Joint operations by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have targeted illegal mining activities in the Free State, Gauteng and North West.
The operations have included high-visibility policing, vehicle checkpoints and air support, resulting in arrests, the dismantling of illegal mining sites and the confiscation of firearms, explosives and illegal mining equipment.
“Through interdepartmental coordination with the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, the joint deployment has resulted in the arrest of 1 080 individuals, among them armed suspects and undocumented miners,” the President said.
The operations have also resulted in the seizure of 19 firearms, more than 2 000 rounds of ammunition and 41 commercial explosives.
Government has further seized 83 generators, more than 1 000 refining drums, nearly 2 000 kilograms of gold-bearing material and approximately 150 kilograms of gold.
“These actions have disrupted the operational and financial lifelines of illegal mining networks,” he said.
The President said government is also taking steps to prevent illegal mining activities from resuming after enforcement operations.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has closed a number of illegal shafts, with further closures planned.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) continue to secure affected locations through foot patrols, vehicle checkpoints and air-to-ground monitoring.
The deployment forms part of government's broader response to the illegal mining crisis, which has been linked to organised criminal networks, illicit economic activity and the use of firearms and explosives.
Operation Prosper was announced by President Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address on 12 February 2026, as a coordinated intervention to combat illegal mining.
The latest figures indicate that the operation has combined law enforcement and military capabilities with interventions by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to disrupt both the operational and financial infrastructure supporting illegal mining.
Government's approach includes targeting the people operating illegal mining sites, shutting down illegal shafts and confiscating equipment and materials used to sustain the illicit activities.
The continued deployment of SAPS and the SANDF at affected sites is also intended to prevent illegal miners from returning to locations that have already been subjected to enforcement action.
President Ramaphosa's response comes as government continues to strengthen its efforts against illegal mining and the criminal networks that profit from the illicit extraction and processing of precious metals. – SAnews.gov.za
