KwaZulu-Natal police have apprehended a 44-year-old truck driver after he was found with stolen minerals worth R15.5 million, consisting of Zircon and Chloride, stolen from Richards Bay Minerals (RBM).
The trucker was arrested by officers deployed to the province to address the alarming trend of violence against mining executives in the area.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, a police spokesperson, stated that the 44-year-old suspect was apprehended following a tip-off regarding a truck loaded with stolen minerals.
The truck was later discovered abandoned in Kwambonambi.
“Subsequent investigation led the team to an address in Durban, where the stolen minerals were recovered,” Mathe confirmed.
Following a recent meeting between Police Minister Bheki Cele, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola, and local business representatives, additional officers were deployed to the region.
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Mathe emphasized that all stakeholders committed to enhancing collaborative efforts to address criminal activities associated with the mining sector.
“Since the deployment of this task team to Richards Bay in 2022, 43 individuals have been arrested on charges including murder, theft, trespassing, possession of suspected stolen property, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, fraud, and intimidation,” Mathe revealed.
“Presently, 68 cases are under active investigation, with 47 of them already in various stages of legal proceedings. Furthermore, over the past three years, law enforcement has confiscated 202 firearms as part of their efforts to curb criminality in the region,” she added.
