POLICE CONTINUE TO CLAMP DOWN ON SUSPECTS WHO VANDALISE MINING INFRASTRUCTURE
NELSPRUIT: Police in Mpumalanga continue to clamp down on those who are vandalising essential infrastructure in the mines and Eskom, which has left the surrounding community without electricity.
The office of the Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, issued a statement last month (February 2021), wherein 114 suspects were arrested on various charges, including trespassing, possession of suspected stolen property, contravention of the Disaster Management Regulations by failing to confine to their places of residence, as well as contravention of the Illegal Immigration Act, as in the main, these suspects are Zimbabwean as well as Mozambican Nationals.
However, these suspects continue with their illegal activities, wreaking havoc. Police are also relentless in their efforts to bring the suspects’ illegal activities to an end. At times the suspects were acting dangerously as a number of police and mine vehicles have been shot at. One police officer was robbed of her firearm.
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The actions of these suspects prompted police to conduct a sting operation between Monday, 01 and Thursday, 04 March 2021, at which 79 suspects were arrested for Contravention of Critical Infrastructure Protection Act and other related cases.
The said suspects aged between 18 and 61, are alleged to have illegally entered Goedhoop mine premises in Blinkpan near Middelburg, stole items and further vandalised the mine’s infrastructure. Police confiscated 20 cars during the arrest of the suspects and they have already appeared before the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court where they were granted R1000 bail each. This brings now a total of over 80 cars that were seized by police so far.
The police management has indicated that such lawlessness will not be tolerated and operations around these affected areas will continue to be intensified.
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