10 Zimbabwean men were sentenced to two years in prison by a South African court after being arrested for illegal mining activities in the Giyani area of Limpopo.
They were arrested last May on the advice of South African elite Hawks police and found in R900,000 worth of mining equipment and R3,800 cash.
Mpathise Tshuma (29), Decent Ngwenya (22), Lamulani Sibanda (31), Skhumbuzo Mkandla (21), Ocean Mpofu (28), Prince Ndlovu (27), Brandon Nyoni (22), Clive Moyo (29), Tawanda Ndebele, 33, and Philani Ndlovu, 33, were arrested along R81 near the Giyani shopping mall.
Limpopo Hawks spokesman Captain Matimba Mallake said the gang was sentenced to another six months in prison for violating South African immigration law.
“The Priority Crimes Investigation Bureau wants to welcome the Giyani District Court’s decision on 10 illegal gold traders on Friday,” he said.
“Defendant, all Zimbabweans, were arrested on May 14, 2021 by members of the Hawks’ serious organized crime investigation, with the support of Giyani police and members of the local criminal record centre.
“Our members received tips on people travelling from Farabolwa to Giyani to sell gold.”
Captain Marlake travelled along the R81 road where Hawks was near Giyani Shopping Mall. When he was there, he said he found the vehicle in line with the instructions provided by the information provider.
The vehicle was then cornered, the 10 crew members found were searched, and unprocessed gold, pastel, scales, and mine detectors worth more than R900,000 and R3,800 in cash were found and confiscated. rice field.
The court sentenced him to two years imprisonment, including one year’s probation for violating the Precious Metals Act, and six months’ imprisonment for violating the Immigration Act. The ruling will be carried out at the same time, Captain Maluleke said.
In South Africa, illegal mining costs the economy around R21 billion annually. A few months ago, three Zimbabweans and a South African man were arrested by police in Limpopo.
Police said they were arrested on suspicion of illegally mining three trucks of chrome. Lloyd Sithall (32), Moses Nemanganda (37), Wilton Halji (34), all Zimbabweans, South Africa’s Joseph Longwayne (23), R37 Road in the Appel Police Area of the Magistrates’ Court I was illegally arrested alongside. Mining costs