Senior police officers in Mpumalanga are under investigation after allegedly leading a raid on a coal mine and removing heavy equipment and trucks, an action that the mine’s legal representative says led to a crash that claimed two lives.
Witnesses at the mine — it is near the village of Dirkiesdorp and exports coal through Richards Bay — said about 20 vehicles carrying heavily armed police, led by Brig Zanele Mavuso of Ermelo visible policing, arrived at the mine on Friday. Mavuso was reportedly accompanied by Lt-Col Jerome Cele from the public order police unit in Secunda.
Police are alleged to have acted on a complaint from mine director Stanley Mphahlele, who is involved in a civil dispute with fellow directors. The police allegedly removed the equipment from the mine without a warrant or court order.
“That equipment was not supposed to be on the road, but after police unlawfully removed it from the plant ... now someone is dead,” said attorney Jacobus Krüger, representing Green Lands Investments.
Two people were killed when their vehicle crashed into a stationary mine truck next to the road on Friday night.
Krüger said police were acting on an instruction from another director, who is claiming to be the sole owner of the property’s mining rights.
“But we are in court over that,” he said.
Acting provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Zeph Mkhwanazi’s office told the Sunday Times it was investigating a complaint, made by Krüger, of alleged abuse of power and state resources by the police.
Green Lands Investments, which claims to be the lawful operator of the mine, filed an urgent submission last week with the Madlanga commission, in which it accused police and government officials of unlawfully interfering and colluding to stop mining at Dirkiesdorp.
It said legitimate business operations were being obstructed.
Green Lands Investments — which operates on the site under mining rights held by Mamokebe Investments — is involved in a civil dispute with Mamokebe Colliery, represented by Mphahlele.
Mamokebe Colliery claims it is the rightful holder of the mining rights currently held by Mamokebe Investments.
At the heart of the dispute is a letter from the department of mineral resources and energy (DMRE), which states that Mamokebe Investments sought the department’s consent to transfer its mining rights to Mamokebe Colliery — a claim Mamokebe Investments is now contesting in court.
The Madlanga commission asked Krüger to escalate his complaint to national police commissioner Fannie Masemola’s office. Police spokesperson Brig Athlande Mathe said: “We cannot comment on a complaint referred to SAPS by the commission, to ensure the effective investigation of such cases.
“There are interdepartmental operations conducted by various departments including SAPS, the State Security Agency, DMRE and the National Prosecuting Authority to address illegal mining.”
On October 7 2025, about 50 heavily armed police descended on the mine and ordered personnel to leave, halting operations. It is alleged they did so without a court order.
The raid was allegedly conducted on instructions from DMRE provincial officials. The department’s national office denied telling the SAPS to stop trucks, but confirmed suspending the transfer of mining rights pending the civil litigation.
“An order was made by agreement [in court] in terms of which the department undertook not to proceed with the registration or transfer of the mining right to Mamokebe Colliery pending the final determination of an internal appeal lodged by Mamokebe Investments,” it said.
Krüger said the “continued use of SAPS resources to act on these private complaints, absent a court order, represents a gross misuse of state power and warrants immediate investigation”.
The October 7 operation was reportedly led by Brig Victor Nkoana and Brig Mavuso, who claimed to be acting on instructions from Maj-Gen Mkhwanazi and a DMRE official.
Responding to Krüger’s complaint, Mkhwanazi wrote back asserting the police had acted on a complaint about instability and fighting at the mine.
“It is … submitted ... that in performing their duties … it is not required to obtain any court order or warrant. The police had to act immediately to preserve life and to bring the situation under control.
“This office can confirm that the operation was conducted in consultation with officials from [DMRE]. The department ... confirmed that your client was informed to stop their operation at the mine,” said Mkhwanazi.
This is contrary to responses provided to the Sunday Times, in which police said Mkhwanazi’s office was investigating complaints about the conduct of the police at the mine.
“The SAPS in Mpumalanga acknowledges receipt of the complaint and has already sanctioned an investigation into the allegations brought forward.
“At this stage, this office is unable to divulge more details about the matter as this might jeopardise the ongoing investigation,” said Brig Donald Mdhluli.
While police claimed their intervention was “conducted in consultation with officials from the DMRE”, who had requested that operations cease, a department official denied having issued any such instruction.
In his submission to the commission, Krüger stated: “The contradictory versions place the credibility of both institutions in question.”
He said either the SAPS had acted unlawfully on a false representation of DMRE authority, or the DMRE was now concealing an unlawful instruction.
“In either case, our client’s rights were materially violated.”
Friday’s raid is the sixth in a series. In September, a police Special Task Force team of about 15 officers occupied the mine under instruction from their superiors.
The mine employs more than 200 people.
Meanwhile, Mdhluli said the two crash victims had yet to be identified by their next of kin. Two trucks being escorted by the SAPS to a storage location stopped on the road after the drivers reported mechanical problems, and allegedly “got a chance to remove the [truck] keys as well as some fuses ... then disappeared.”
He said a case of defeating the ends of justice could be opened over the removal of the items.
“The drivers may face serious charges as the investigation progresses because there are now two lives that were lost.”
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