Interpol-wanted criminals run illegal-mining trade
Wanted criminals on Interpol are well-known amongst the illegal miners in the Lowveld
BARBERTON – One of the most wanted criminals in the Lowveld, Mawillis Shiba (aka Dragon) and another surviving member of the notorious Songimvelo Syndicate, Dan Nkosi are both well known in and around the Barberton mines – where Dragon is regarded as a kingpin in gun running and employing gangs of illegal gold diggers.
Both of them are also listed on Interpol’s Red Notice of wanted criminals in Swaziland.
Since Lowvelder exposed details of the grip that crime bosses hold over Louisville, Low’s Creek and the nearby Sheba Mine, two weeks ago, a well-placed source confirmed this week that a group of 37 zama zamas entered the mine last Friday.
Four of them were caught by security personnel at level 7, but the kingpin and the rest escaped using the madala side well known to them. In 2015 Nkosi was arrested and held at Elukwatini near Badplaas.
The Swazi authorities applied to South Africa for his extradition. All that was needed was the minister of justice’s signature on the extradition documents.
It is now two years later and the document has not been signed. In the meantime, Nkosi was arrested and appeared in another court case, and was released.
In 2011 Dragon Mawillis allegedly pulled the trigger of the rifle that killed the first rhino poached in Swaziland in 20 years. He and Nkosi were members of the Songimvelo Syndicate headed by two brothers, Fana and Lucky Maseko.
At least three other known criminals from South Africa were members of this gang.
Lucky Maseko was the leader of the gang responsible for the deaths and wounding of at least 15 rhinos in Mpumalanga and three in Swaziland.
Their reign of terror started at Songimvelo Nature Reserve and later moved over to Swaziland.
The Maseko brothers and another gang member, Mduduzi Mathebula, died in September 2011 in a gunfight with the Swazi police, south of the Hlane Game Reserve.
The group targeted Swazi rhino herds after the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Authority’s strategic decision to capture and remove all the rhino from Songimvelo to a safer location.
According to Mr Mick Reilly of Big Game Parks, the Swazi authorities still want Dragon Mawillis, a Swazi citizen, and Nkosi to stand trial in Swaziland.
