12 ARRESTED IN GOLD MINING BUST, EQUIPMENT SEIZED

MBABANE – A meticulous gold mine raid busts a 12-strong smuggling ring at the abandoned Pigg’s Peak Gold Mine.

The months of surveillance ended in dramatic arrests, shattering a lucrative illegal operation.

A joint military and police operation culminated in a raid at the abandoned gold mine, dismantling a sophisticated gold smuggling syndicate comprising 10 men and two women.

The operation resulted in the apprehension of 12 individuals and the seizure of a vehicle heavily implicated in the illegal operation, alongside heavy mining equipment including a stone crusher and generator. The discovery of a modified Nissan Hardbody, equipped with powerful floodlights and linked to numerous cross-border trips, highlighted the scale and organised nature of the illicit mining activities at the 140-year-old, long-dormant mine.

The illegal miners, colloquially known as zama zamas, were reportedly unlawfully extracting gold from the historic Pigg’s Peak Gold Mine, situated in the Old Pigg’s Peak, approximately five kilometres from Pigg’s Peak Town. This mine, a relic of the late 1800s gold rush, has been inactive for over two decades.

Operations

Investigations have also revealed the crucial role of a white Nissan Hardbody, registration number KW 48 MV GP, in the syndicate’s operations.

This vehicle, suspected of transporting the extracted gold out of the country, had made 62 border crossings into South Africa, utilising both Matsamo and Ngwenya Border Gates. Immigration records, compiled by Senior Immigration Officer Nozipho Dlamini, indicate that the vehicle was driven by a diverse group of individuals, including South African, Zambian, Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals, as well as Eswatini resident, Noah Respi Dlamini.

“Information obtained from our system revealed that the motor vehicle frequently exited the country through Matsamo Border Gate and through Ngwenya Border Gate,” stated Senior Immigration Officer Nozipho in her affidavit.

The Nissan Hardbody’s modifications, including the installation of five additional front floodlights, have raised further suspicion.

Investigators believe these lights were used to illuminate the mining site during night-time operations, facilitating the illegal extraction of gold.

During the raid, soldiers discovered a stone crusher and a red Fideliquip generator, essential tools for processing the mined material. Makeshift shelters at the site indicated that the zama zamas had established a semi-permanent operation.

According to an affidavit by soldier Mduduzi Dlamini, who participated in the operation, the suspects were apprehended after attempting to flee the scene.

“We noticed a group of people running away. We suspected maybe it was because they have noticed our cars and the fact that they were having something illegal. We then parked our Land Cruiser and started chasing them,” Mduduzi stated.

The suspects, comprising 10 men and two women, were found in possession of sacks containing gold-bearing soil. They were subsequently arrested and handed over to the Pigg’s Peak Police Station, along with the recovered equipment and vehicle.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has applied and obtained an order to preserve the car, stone crushing machine and the generator in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) of 2018. In her affidavit, Principal Crown Counsel, Elsie Matsebula, who is the head of Asset Forfeiture Unit in the office of the director of public prosecutions, informed the court that the car and the other items were used as instrumentality to commit the crimes.  

She told the court that the motor vehicle was recovered by members of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force from a Zimbabwean national, Brighton Karimotoro, while parked at the crime scene (A1 forest in Pigg’s Peak ).  She told the court that Karimotoro’s whereabouts are unknown.

“The purpose of the preservation order sought is to ensure that the items are preserved pending the outcome of application for forfeiture and in terms of Section 50 (1) of POCA),” submitted Matsebula.   

It was her submission that, in summary relevant facts show that the car and the other items were proceeds of unlawful activity or instrumentality to commit offences.  

She highlighted to the court that the motor vehicle in question is fitted with extras, which include front flood lights.

“It goes without saying that these flood lights enable the motor vehicle to provide extra light at night. The logical inference thereof is that the same floodlights come in handy as a source of lighting during the illegal mining at night.

“Though the motor vehicle was seized during the day, it is reasonable to believe that the illegal mining was done in the course of the night to conceal and/or avoid exposure,” she argued.  

It was further her submission that the extra lighting of the motor vehicle further underscores the belief that it was used as an instrumentality for the illegal mining.

“I submit that the motor vehicle and the mining machinery are an instrumentality of crime and/or proceeds of criminal activities or both. I further wish to state that the evidence is sufficient for the court to order that the items be preserved in terms of Section 42 (1) of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act of 2018,” contended the head of Asset Forfeiture Unit.    

The preservation order was granted by High Court Judge John Magagula.

Meanwhile, there are also allegations that the illegal miners pay between E200 and E300 to enter the mine and do the illegal mining. 

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