A major breakthrough in the fight against illegal mining was made this week when police in Oberholzer, part of the Merafong City Local Municipality, uncovered a fully operational illegal gold processing facility hidden in a suburban backyard.

Acting on a tip-off from concerned residents, Lieutenant-Colonel Ockie Brits of the Khutsong Police Station responded to suspicious activity at a house in Railway Street around 8:00 PM on September 10. With backup, officers entered the premises and discovered a shocking scene.

Illegal miners had constructed a makeshift gold processing setup in the backyard. In a further twist, they had diverted the home’s sewerage system, allowing sewage water to collect in a tank—allegedly used in their illegal mining process. The house was also found to be illegally connected, with the electricity meter removed, indicating theft of municipal services.

“Neighbours have been complaining about water leaks at the house for some time,” said Brits.

Two individuals were arrested on-site—a female homeowner and her male accomplice. Subsequent investigations by Carletonville detectives led to two more arrests in Khutsong on Friday, but one of the suspects tragically drank poison shortly after his arrest and died en route to the hospital.

The remaining three suspects appeared in the Oberholzer Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges related to illegal mining, theft of utilities, and damage to municipal infrastructure.

The incident has since sparked broader questions about the role and oversight of the Merafong City Local Municipality. Despite serious service disruptions—including visible water leaks and a disconnected electricity meter—officials reportedly failed to detect any irregularities. Questions have been sent to municipal communications manager Temba Fezani, but no response was received at the time of publishing.