Twenty-six of more than 480 people arrested in a major illegal mining crackdown in Barberton have been granted bail.
The Barberton magistrate's court on Monday released the 26 on R2,000 bail each after the court considered they had no previous convictions, had fixed addresses and no pending cases.
They are among hundreds arrested during a joint operation between Sheba Mine and police on Friday, as part of the ongoing Vala Umgodi operation targeting illegal mining syndicates. The arrests included four juveniles.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said “they face charges, including trespassing, theft of gold-bearing material and contravention of the Immigration Act”.
Nyuswa said the court warned those granted bail not to commit any offence while on release.
“The state intends to oppose bail for those with previous convictions and pending cases,” she said.
The remaining accused were remanded. The case was postponed to August 11 and 12 for address verification and possible further bail applications.
The NPA said illegal mining has a negative effect on the economy and society, posing risks to health and safety and contributing to environmental degradation.
TimesLIVE
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