Two men charged with possessing uranium in Durban

Two men appeared in a Durban court charged with possessing a kilogramme of uranium, police said on Tuesday.

Mozambican Sasa Esmael Vulay, 23, and Sibusiso Solomon Mkhize, 24, a South African, were arrested in Durban on Nov. 14 and appeared in the Durban magistrate's court on Monday, police said.

"The investigation began when police intelligence revealed that two men were looking for potential buyers for narcotics and uranium," police said in a statement. The two were also charged with possessing 90 ecstasy tablets.

They were ordered detained until Dec. 3 for a formal bail hearing. Police investigations are continuing.

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation on Tuesday confirmed the substance was uranium and said more tests were being carried out to determine its isotopic level.

Local media said the uranium could have been stolen from a Namibian mine. South Africa and its western neighbour are producers of the radioactive material.