A group of employees of Sibanye-Stillwater each received a hefty sentence in the Oberholzer Regional Court last week.
The accused, Wilmoth Nkosinathi Mdluli, Zamakhaya Fihlani, Phalane Maleko, Sonnyboy Mbolgeni Mabuza, Elias Thuso Moshoeshoe, Armando Raimundo Zitha, Amos Timothy Gumede, Juluka Nowell Gamedze, Sivuyile Mkhize, Nkosilungile Gibson Ntsimbi, Ronewa Shadrack Ndou, Dumisani Enoch Gumede, Malindane Abel Nhlebeya and Mphakatsi Mbhamali had been part of two different shifts working at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Gold Plant when gold worth between R1.2m to R2.5m disappeared from the facility. They were tracked down in a clandestine security operation led by a team of security staff from Sibanye-Stillwater commanded by Deon Greyling and were subsequently charged.
On July 31, the accused appeared in front of Magistrate Jan Steyn on charges of theft of gold, theft of gold bearing material and the illegal transportation of gold bearing material.
All were found guilty and sentenced to a total of 15 years imprisonment each.
The case had taken much longer due to reasons such as interruptions caused by the Covid-19 campaign, the fact that their advocate had died during the course of the trial, as well as the fact that several of the accused came from neighbouring countries and had to return to Oberholzer especially for the trial each time.
