Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
LEADER of the opposition outfit National Democratic Working Group, Mr Job Sikhala (53), and his associate, Mr Alexander Thema (78), are expected to appear at the Pretoria Magistrates Court today following their arrest by South African police for the alleged illegal possession of explosives.
The two, who are detained at Pretoria Central Police Station, were arrested early Friday morning while travelling in a Ford Fiesta along the N14 highway towards Johannesburg, shortly after passing Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre.
It remains unclear what the pair intended to use the explosives for.
According to South African authorities, such explosives are commonly used in illegal mining activities in the Free State and Gauteng provinces, as well as in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and cash-in-transit bombings by criminal syndicates.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that officers found 26 blasting cartridges and 15 capped fuse connectors in Sikhala’s vehicle.
She said the arrests followed a tip-off.
“The pair has been arrested and will appear before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing a charge of being in possession of explosives,” said Brig Mathe.
“Police received a tip-off that there were people travelling in a Ford Fiesta in Pretoria during the early hours of Friday morning. They then spotted the vehicle, stopped it and found 26 blasting cartridges and 15 capped fuse connectors.”
