Crime combatting operations conducted by various Visible Policing Specialised Units in the Bojanala Platinum Sub-District 2 (Rustenburg) between Thursday, 4 and Tuesday, 9 February 2021, resulted in apprehension of 14 suspects.
The suspects were arrested in Rustenburg, Phokeng, Tlhabane, Boitekong and Marikana for charges ranging from possession of and dealing in drugs, possession of suspected stolen property, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition as well as possession of explosives and defeating the ends of justice.
In of one of the arrests on Thursday, 4 February 2021, Rustenburg Flying Squad members were on patrol when they spotted a suspicious white Toyota Quantum on the R510 road. The vehicle was stopped for a search leading to the discovery and seizure of three unlicensed firearms and 14 live ammunition. Nine suspects aged between 20 and 52 were then arrested after failing to account for the firearms. They appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 8 February 2021 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. They were all remanded in custody until Monday, 15 February 2021.
In another arrest on Friday, 5 February 2021 at about 15:00, Public Order Police (POP) members made a follow up on information regarding possible robbery in Freedom Park. The suspects’ Isuzu vehicle was subsequently spotted and stopped for a search next to Bobuanja village near Phokeng. During the search, a 9mm pistol with 14 ammunition, was found in the vehicle’s engine compartment. Four males were arrested and appeared before the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 9 February 2021 for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. Bachipile Ramoroa (34), Nkomphile Gumede (35), Moses Moshe Lemene (33) and Solly Langa Junior (20) were remanded in custody until Wednesday, 17 March 2021.
In a separate incident on the same day, at about 16:00, Marikana police acting on information, conducted a search at Stoomhuis 2. The search resulted in confiscation of Star 9mm pistol, with four live ammunition. Khatiso Mokete (26) has since appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 8 February 2021 on charges of unlawful possession of firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. The suspect was remanded in custody until Thursday, 11 February 2021.
In another separate incident on the same day, shortly after 00:00, Phokeng Visible Policing members supported by a private security company responded to a complaint of theft of copper cable at one of the mines. While searching in the bushes, unidentified individuals fired shots towards the police and security officers who returned fire. The suspects managed to flee from the scene to evade being arrested. Consequently, stolen copper cables with an estimated street value of R17 000.00 were found and confiscated. Cases of attempted murder and theft of copper cable were registered for investigation.
