The Hawks arrested two suspects allegedly linked to illegal mining activities in the province on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 November 2022 in Rustenburg. These arrests come after the police minister and a parliamentary committee visited Stilfontein earlier after a large group of gun-wielding illegal miners was arrested in that area in October this year.

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At least three kingpins linked to the crime have been arrested in the province this year.

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According to the Hawks provincial spokesperson, Tlangelani Rikhotso, the suspects are aged between 33 and 72. They were arrested by the Hawks, assisted by members of the Illegal Mining Task Team, the National Intervention Unit and Bidvest Protea Coin Security.

Rikhotso says during their arrest, two vehicles believed to have been obtained through the proceeds of crime were seized for further investigations.

“The suspects will appear before the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court today [Thursday] where they will be facing varied charges, which include illegal mining, public violence, defeating the ends of justice and malicious damage to property. The operation is a culmination of ongoing investigations into illegal mining in the Rustenburg area. It is a follow-up of a takedown operation which took place on 7 April 2022, conducted by a multi-disciplinary team led by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit, assisted by members of the Special Task Force, National Intervention Unit, Air Wing, South African Air Force, Bidvest Protea Coin, Hawks’ Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS), Hawks’ Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI), Klerksdorp Illegal Mining Task Team and Forensic Science Laboratory. That operation which took place at a Rustenburg mine led to the seizure of illegally mined chrome worth over R2 million and equipment (vehicles and excavators) worth approximately R100 million,” she adds.

Rikhotso further adds that suspects in the matter, including Samuel Saki Makhoti (68) and Andries Sekgobela (44), were arrested for illegal mining and appeared before the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court on 11 April 2022 where they were released on R3000 bail each. They are due to appear before Mogwase Magistrate’s Court on 24 November 2022.

The Provincial Head for Priority Crime Investigation, Patrick Mbotho, has since lauded the team for their excellent work in apprehending the kingpins behind illegal mining in Rustenburg.

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