BRITS POS – HARTBEESPOORT – Six suspects were arrested and various illegal mining equipment confiscated in a multi-disciplinary operation in Hartbeespoort on Wednesday, 3 April.
Four of the six suspects who are from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, appeared before the Brits Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 5 April and were remanded in custody until Tuesday, 23 and Thursday, 25 April when they will re-appear before court.
The fifth suspect, a female Mozambican, also appeared for contravention of the Immigration Act, 2002 and was remanded in custody until 12 May 2024.
The sixth suspect, a Mozambican, was issued with a fine for driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s licence. “In effecting the arrests, the team also seized 28 penduka machines, a makeshift, hand-cranked tumbler usually made of a used metal gas tank, five gas cylinders, two cutting torches, a generator, six hammers, a water pump, a jackhammer and 78 bags of gold bearing material and other items,” says SAPS North West spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
Lt Gen Sello Kwena, NW Provincial Commissioner lauded all team members for working together to effectively address illegal mining activities. (Photos: SAPS)
