Alleged illegal gold miners appear in court
Two alleged illegal gold miners appeared in the Barberton Magistrate's Court on Monday following their arrest during an intelligence-driven multidisciplinary disruptive operation on Friday.
The two men, Thembeka Sekizwe Maseko (29) and Nkosinathi Welcome Nkosi (24), have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance for a formal bail application on February 24.
Mpumalanga Hawks Serious Organised Crime Unit, Pienaar’s Tactical Response Team, Pretoria Forensics, Nelspruit Local Criminal Record Centre and SSG Security swooped in on a property with two makeshift laboratories at Bo Hill Kamadakwa Section in Baberton on Monday morning.
They found the two alleged illegal gold miners working at one of the makeshift laboratories to illegally process gold. Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Capt Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, said the men were arrested for contravening the Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005 for possession, smelting and running an illegal laboratory.
Sekgotodi said Maseko has a previous conviction against him. In November 2018, Maseko was arrested in a mine and was sentenced to one year and six months’ prison time, which was wholly suspended for three years.
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She added that the police found eight phendukas (gold-refining machines) and other equipment used for processing gold, which were seized for further investigation.
