A 52-year-old, Sam Bekare Nontoloane, will remain in custody after his first court appearance on 11 February 2021, in the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court in Tlhabane for possession of explosives (Explosives Act 26 of 1956). He will reappear before the same court on Monday, 22 February 2021.
The suspect’s court appearance emanates from his arrest at about 13:05 on Tuesday, 9 February 2021. That was after police received information that Nontoloane was in the process of selling explosives. He was ultimately stopped and searched whilst walking in the street at Luka village near Phokeng, outside Rustenburg.
Consequently, numerous shock tubes, blasting cables, starters and explogel were found in a plastic bag Nontoloane was carrying.
In another unrelated incident in Khuma, the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Illicit Mining Team arrested a 28-year-old suspect at about 19:00 on Wednesday, 10 February 2021 in Extension 9. The suspect was apprehended at his place after the team followed up on information received and ultimately found a connector cup fuse inside the house.
The suspect will appear before the Stilfontein Magistrates’ Court on 12 February 2021, on a charge of possession of explosives.
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena lauded the police for their quick response which resulted in the arrest of the alleged perpetrators. He thanked members of the community for being the eyes and the ears of the police by reporting suspicious criminal activities.
