Pieter Johannes Grobler spent a night behind bars before he was released on R8 000 bail at Secunda Magistrate’s Court today, Thursday, 06 February 2025.
Grobler was arrested by the Hawks Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation yesterday, Wednesday, 05 February 2025.
Members received information from a reliable source about the health hazard activities on the farm. Members activated role players from the SAPS and Govan Mbeki Local Municipality Health Inspectors.
During the visit to the farm, members uncovered two warehouses with four cold rooms that were loaded with food, including meat, chicken, and dairy products. All the recovered food was either rotten or expired.
Grobler was arrested and appeared in Secunda Magistrate’s Court on 06 February 2025 after spending a night behind bars.
His case was remanded to 27 March 2025 to allow further investigation to be conducted. The court also ordered Grobler to report at Charl Cillier SAPS every Monday between 08:00 and 18:00. He was also instructed by the court to surrender his traveling documents to the investigating officer until the court issues a different order.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Nico Gerber, commended the team for a sterling job by stopping the expired and rotten food from being sold for human consumption, thus preventing another catastrophe. “The postponement will allow our members to conduct thorough investigation and identify other people that fell pray to this inhumane act,” added the General.
