A crackdown on illegal mining at Losberg Kloof Mine in Westonaria has led to the arrest of more than 150 suspects.

Gauteng police, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and Sibanye Protection Services launched Operation Prosper on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, targeting transnational criminal networks and illicit mining in the province.

Arrests

Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed the arrests and said the crime scene remains active.

“The operation is aimed at combating illegal mining activities and transnational crime in the area. More than 150 suspects have been arrested for illegal mining‑related offences,” Sibeko said.

Illegal mining continues to plague South Africa, with devastating consequences for infrastructure and communities.

WATCH: Suspects arrested for Illegal mining

M2 highway in danger

Last week, The Citizen reported that Johannesburg’s M2 highway could be on the verge of collapse due to illegal sand mining in bridge support structures. Authorities, including the Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR), confirmed the risk.

The JRA posted on social media, blaming illegal mining adjacent to the road, one of the main routes into the Johannesburg CBD.

Site inspection

DMPR spokesperson Solly Phetla said the department’s Johannesburg team inspected the site but concluded that the Department of Transport should handle the matter. He added that sand was being collected at bridges across the country.

Mining expert David van Wyk explained that the vandalism of the M2 bridge is a result of construction flaws.

“Builders used tailings waste instead of proper building sand, leaving the structures vulnerable. He noted that mining historically occurred along the Reef south of the M2, while the CBD itself sits on a granite ridge and was never undermined.”

The JRA said extensive infrastructure defects have been identified beneath sections of the M1 and M2 motorways in Johannesburg’s inner-city and Selby areas.

Police investigations into the Westonaria arrests are continuing.

Additional reporting by Masoka Dube