Two men appeared before the Mogwase magistrate's court on Friday in connection with illegal mining operations at a farm in Witrantjie Village in North West.
Witrantjie is notorious for illegal chrome mining.
Wellington Nyakazeya, 29, and Martin Mutanhuri, 52, were arrested on Thursday by the Rustenburg-based Hawks' serious organised crime investigation unit in collaboration with Mahikeng public order and the Rustenburg and Vryburg local criminal record centre.
“Their arrest happened during a disruptive operation following information received by the police about certain community members who were alleged to have occupied the mining area and conducting mining activities without authorisation from the department of mineral resources & energy and energy (DMRE) and Thutse Mining Scale,” Hawks spokesperson W/O Amogelang Malwetse said.
On arrival, the team found one excavator busy with mining activities in the pit. Its operator was stopped and interviewed while the official from DMRE demanded environmental mining authorisation which he failed to produce
The team proceeded to the second pit where it found another excavator with its operator busy with mining activities. The suspect also failed to produce an environmental authorisation document.
The two were arrested for contravening the National Environmental Management Act and for being illegally in the country.
They were remanded and will appear again in court on Thursday.
TimesLIVE
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