Four go for gold, get caught

Four men appeared in court for allegedly planning to rob a gold plant in Welkom, Free State police say.

"Molebatsi Mokgwera, 31, who is a policeman in Welkom, James Wangra, 30, an ex-Griffin rugby player from Odendaalsrus, Steven Styer, 20, from Protea Coin Security and Vincent Pienaar, 43, an unemployed man from Odendaalsrus faced charges of corruption in the Welkom Magistrate's Court," said Sergeant Mmako Mophiring.

A fifth suspect, Wilfred Wangra, was arrested after he was linked to a white BMW car left at the scene of the alleged crime. He was arrested on Monday while visiting his younger brother, James Wangra, at court.

The case had been postponed to August 3 when the men would apply for formal bail.

The group was arrested for allegedly planning to rob gold personnel as they left the President Steyn Gold Plant, Mophiring said.

Mokgwera, the policeman, was to pretend to execute an arrest, said Mophiring.

The men were arrested on Thursday after police received a tip-off.

They were arrested at the plant where they arrived in three vehicles, including a police-marked Nissan Tiida.

An unlicensed firearm with a licence that expired in 2003 was confiscated.

The policeman was expected to face charges of corruption, using a state vehicle without consent and possession of an unlicensed firearm, while the other four would face corruption charges.