Courts

PIGG’S PEAK – The police operation targeting illegal mining activities in Pigg’s Peak on Wednesday resulted in the arrest of two Zimbabweans and a South African national, who are alleged zama zamas.

The three suspects Levious Magebuza (26) and Abel Ncube (29), both from Zimbabwe, and Sakhile Nkosi (26) from South Africa appeared before Pigg’s Peak Magistrate Nkosingiphile Maseko. They were charged for contravening Section 3(1)(a) as read with Section 141(1) and (2) of the Mines and Minerals Act No. 4/2011.

The charge sheet states that on January 28, 2026, at Mhlatane Quarters, the accused persons, acting jointly in furtherance of a common purpose, wrongfully and unlawfully carried out a reconnaissance operation without a licence. They were allegedly found in possession of 12kg of green chert stones.

The arrests followed a 5pm raid on Wednesday targeting illegal mining activities at Malanda and Mangwaneni. During the operation, police officers confiscated equipment used by the suspects at the different mines such as Pigg’s Peak Old Mine and the Malolotja Green Chert Mine.

Information gathered by this publication indicates that the three suspects were found inside their rented house during the police raid. According to a source, the search of the residence uncovered various items allegedly used for illegal mining, including a mine lab detector found in the main bedroom. Other equipment seized included a cutting torch, a rock drill and an electric grinder.

“The police further searched the backyard of the house, where they found a basin filled with soil suspected to contain gold, along with green chert stones weighing 12 kilogrammes,” the source said.

The source further stated that the suspects led officers to their worksite, where more bags of soil and green chert stones were found sealed. During the search and confiscation of the equipment, the suspects were cautioned according to the Judges’ Rules.

It was reported that while the three men possessed valid travelling documents and entered the Kingdom via the Ngwenya/Oshoek Border Post, some of the mining machinery was allegedly smuggled into Eswatini through informal crossings while hidden in bags.

During their first court appearance yesterday, the suspects elected to conduct their own defence after their legal rights to representation were explained.

The Crown prosecutor Abel Shabangu informed the court that the accused were found with soil suspected to contain gold and green chert. He moved an application for the accused to be remanded in custody until February 11, 2026, pending an analysis report of the soil from the Geology Department.

The prosecutor also submitted that bail applications should be deferred to the next appearance, noting that since the accused are not Eswatini citizens, there is a likelihood they might not attend their trial.

Magistrate Maseko remanded the accused in custody until February 11, 2026, pending the filing of the analysis report by the Geology Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy.

The 3 accused persons, Levious Magebuza and Abel Ncube both from Zimbabwe, and Sakhile Nkosi from South Africa appeared at the Pigg’s Peak Magistrates Court facing charges of contravening Section 3(1)(a) as read with Section 141(1) and (2) of the Mines and Minerals Act No. 4/2011. (Pics: Mnelisi Dlamini)