A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the theft of minerals worth an estimated R26 million in KwaZulu-Natal.
A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment for his involvement in the theft of minerals worth an estimated R26 million in KwaZulu-Natal.
Sphamandla Mdletshe was sentenced by the Richards Bay Regional Court after entering into a plea agreement with the State.
His conviction follows an extensive investigation by the Richards Bay Investigation Team, which began after members of the Tactical Joint Operational Centre (TACJOC) discovered an abandoned truck loaded with zircon minerals in the KwaMbonambi area on March 18, 2024.
A subsequent intelligence-driven operation at a property on Rana Road in Isipingo, Durban, led police to the discovery of about 500 bags containing zircon, chlorine and other minerals belonging to Richards Bay Minerals.
