Illegal mining explosives found
Fifteen suspects were arrested after the police went looking for possible illegal mining equipment.
Illegal mining was possibly halted after police found and apprehended numerous mining equipment, including explosives, in West Village.
Early on Thursday morning, 18 February, Krugersdorp police officers conducted a joint operation with the mine security at Makhulugama informal settlement in West Village to investigate possible illegal mining activity in the settlement.
“Explosives, mining equipment, gas bottles, phendukas, blasting water-gel, dagga and liquor were found,” Tarlton police spokesperson, Constable Lucky Matome, said.
According to Roodepoort police officer, Colonel André Laing, phendukas are a makeshift system where rocks and steel balls are placed inside an old gas cylinder and turns, grinding the rocks into a fine dust. Melvin Cook, author of The Science of Industrial Explosives, wrote that a water-gel explosive is a blasting mixture used to blast open rocks.
According to Matome, about 30 240 millilitres of alcohol, 42 grams of marijuana and “suspected gold bearing material” were confiscated.
On 25 January, the News reported that another illegal miner was arrested by MSR Security in Magaliesburg with others, alleged illegal minors, still on the run.
This was after the News also reported on 16 illegal miners who were apprehended by the same security company in Magaliesburg in May last year.
“Five suspects were arrested during the operation, three for possession of dagga and two for possession of suspected stolen goods, all aged between 19 and 49 years and are expected to appear before the Krugersdorp Magistrates’ Court soon.
“Ten illegal immigrants were also arrested during the operation,” Matome concluded.
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Sixteen illegal miners found 100 metres underground
Another illegal miner arrested
