WeeklySA_AdminSTING: Raids in Hartbeespoort, Khayelitsha and Hout Bay this week brought fresh seizures and arrests, while another farm laboratory near Krugersdorp extended the trail of recent production-site discoveries…
By Len Maseko
Police uncovered a suspected Mandrax factory near Hartbeespoort, seized 172 000 Mandrax tablets in Hout Bay and confiscated cannabis in Khayelitsha this week, as further raids exposed drug-production facilities on farms.
Among those three operations, Hout Bay has the only confirmed published rand estimate: R10.32 million. Police were still determining the value of the Hartbeespoort seizure, while no monetary estimate was reported for the Khayelitsha haul. A complete combined value for the three therefore remains unavailable.
The Hout Bay interception on Thursday was carried out by the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau. Officers found the tablets in a concealed vehicle compartment and arrested three suspects. Two vehicles, cellphones and an undisclosed amount of cash were also confiscated.
The suspects are due to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, October 12. The origin and intended destination of the consignment had not been disclosed in the published account.
In Khayelitsha, Operation Prosper personnel acted on information about a property in R-Block, Site B, on Tuesday, October 6. They seized three plastic bags of cannabis, 16 cannabis cigarettes and 46 small packets of cannabis, and arrested a 25-year-old man for possession.
That operation formed part of four arrests across Khayelitsha, Kraaifontein and Mfuleni. Separate searches in the other communities recovered methamphetamine, Mandrax and cocaine. These were street-level seizures; the report did not identify the Khayelitsha premises as a drug-production laboratory.
The Hartbeespoort discovery, also on October 6, involved a suspected manufacturing operation in Skeerpoort. Acting on a tip-off, local crime-prevention officers, the K9 unit and Brits Crime Intelligence raided the premises at about 7am.
Police reported finding 24 000 Mandrax tablets ready for distribution, substantial raw material, a commercial-grade tablet press and different dies. Three women and a man were arrested. Three handguns and a rifle were also recovered, with police reporting charges relating to drug manufacturing, dealing and unlicensed firearms.
North West police commissioner Lieutenant-General Arthur Peter Adams said the setup suggested wide distribution. Police suspected, from the property’s lease agreement, that manufacturing might have been taking place for about two years. That duration remains an investigative assessment.
Two days later, another suspected laboratory was uncovered on a farm near Krugersdorp. Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni put the value of that operation at no less than R100 million, expressly including the property, equipment and drugs. Five suspects were arrested and a licensed firearm was seized.
Police reported finding Mandrax and ecstasy, tabletting machines and other equipment. Investigators were checking for possible links with the Skeerpoort and Erasmia discoveries; those connections had not been established.
The reported estimates for Hout Bay and Krugersdorp together amount to at least R110.32 million. That combined figure includes the property and equipment counted in the Krugersdorp estimate, and excludes the still-unvalued Hartbeespoort and Khayelitsha seizures.
The latest farm raids follow several major discoveries in recent months. In Musina, Limpopo, an intelligence-led operation on August 20 uncovered an alleged crystal-methamphetamine laboratory. The National Prosecuting Authority reported drugs and laboratory equipment valued at approximately R600 million, as well as an undisclosed amount of cash. Five accused face drug-related and other charges. In Erasmia, near Centurion, a Hawks operation on September 9 uncovered another alleged manufacturing facility. The NPA subsequently reported finished drugs worth approximately R110 million, alongside equipment, manufacturing materials and drugs at other stages of production. Two accused appeared on drug-manufacturing and immigration-related charges.
A September 2 raid at Klipvoorstad, near Jericho in North West, followed information about a strong smell and suspicious activity on a farm. Police found equipment and raw materials suspected to be linked to crystal-methamphetamine production and arrested a 62-year-old man. No confirmed rand estimate was given in that account.
Earlier, on May 13, police uncovered a large manufacturing facility on a Swartruggens farm. The Hawks subsequently reported confiscating approximately 481kg of methamphetamine and estimated the laboratory’s value at more than R1 billion. Eleven suspects were initially arrested. The laboratory estimate and the value of the seized drugs should be treated separately.
The Hawks said this week that 11 laboratories had been identified nationwide, with investigators tracing property owners, chemical supplies and the people operating the sites. The current raids show discoveries at both production premises and local distribution points, while the work to establish links between individual cases continues. The allegations against those arrested remain subject to court proceedings.
MIRROR Briefs
NEW JUDGES RECOMMENDED BY THE JSC
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) kicked off the interview session that spans from October 5 to October 16, 2026, in Sandton, Johannesburg.
The JSC interviewed five candidates for three vacancies at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), probing them on issues ranging from outstanding judgments to the use of AI.
Judges Gerald Bloem, Mmathebe Phatshoane and Esther Steyn were recommended for appointment for the three vacancies in the SCA.
Judge Betty Maletsatsi Mahalelo and Judge Graham Nasious Moshoana were interviewed for the Labour Court posts, but the JSC resolved not to recommend either candidate. Judge Connie Prinsloo and Judge Benita Whitcher were recommended for Labour Appeal Court.
In an ongoing saga in the Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge remains on special leave, but still in office, after successfully obtaining an interdict pending his review of the JSC finding that he was guilty of gross misconduct for sexual harassment.
While the Eastern Cape recommendation remains undecided, the JSC recommended judges Mfuniselwa Nkosi and James Lekhuleni for the two vacancies on the Competition Appeal Court.
The JSC has also resolved to advise the President to appoint the following candidates to fill four vacancies in the Gauteng Division of the High Court: Ms M A Lukhaimane, Judge S Mfenyana, Adv J Minnaar and Judge F M M Reid. – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
268 PRISON INMATES TO SIT FOR EXAMS
The National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, has encouraged the 268 Grade 12 candidates from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) who will sit for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations to remain focused and draw confidence from the effort they have invested in their studies.
“The long hours of studying, attending classes, engaging with educators and collaborating with your fellow inmates will be rewarded through your results. Remain disciplined, believe in your abilities and give your best throughout the examination period,” the Commissioner said in a statement.
The 268 candidates are enrolled at 18 correctional services schools nationwide.
Thobakgale noted a significant 56.7% increase in the number of inmates matriculants, from 171 in 2025 to 268 in 2026. He said this increase reflected continued progress in expanding access to education within correctional facilities.
The growth also reflects the department’s continued commitment to promoting formal education as a key component of rehabilitation and personal development.
The Commissioner also acknowledged the dedication of educators, school principals and officials who continue to create learning opportunities and support candidates throughout their educational journeys.
The department achieved an overall pass rate of 94.4% in the 2025 NSC examinations. – SAnews
TRUMP’S HOPE OF NOBEL PRIZE DASHED.
The United States president Donald Trump slammed the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to former International Criminal Court judge Navi Pillay, calling her “a liberal person who works at the United Nations (UN).
The prize was awarded to Pillay on Friday. Born into a family of Indian Tamil origin under apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay became a lawyer and legal pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation and exclusion.
Trump has been outspoken about his desire to win the prize, and made similar criticisms in 2025 when it was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Last year, Trump campaigned aggressively, and ultimately unsuccessfully, to obtain the award, which he has long coveted. Earlier this year, the 2025 laureate Machado gifted her medal to the US president..
Pillay, 85, has “held states and national leaders accountable and brought hope to victims of violence and conflict,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in a statement , calling her “one of the great defenders of international legal principles.”
Pillay is currently serving as a judge at the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, in the case in which Myanmar stands accused of genocide. – Lehlohonolo Lehana.
THREE GUILTY OF KILLING IFP OFFICIAL
The South African Police Service has welcomed the conviction of three men for the murder of an Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Branch Executive Committee secretary, Mthokozisi Sithole.
Sthembiso Nkululeko Xulu, Mduduzi Mncube and Sthabiso Mncube were convicted in the Escourt Regional Court this week. The matter was postponed to October 28 ,2026 for sentencing.
Sithole was shot and killed outside a tavern in Weenen on January 27, 2024.
“Following an intensive investigation by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) in KwaZulu-Natal, four suspects were arrested and charged with murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition,” the police said.
The investigation also established a link between the firearm used in Sithole’s murder and another murder case, relating to the murder of Thembinkosi Manana.
Sthabiso Mncube was also charged in the Manana murder case. The two matters were prosecuted jointly.
Judgment was handed down this week with the court finding three accused guilty of murder and of possession of an unlicensed firearm.
“The PKTT remains resolute in its efforts to ensure that perpetrators of political killings are identified, arrested and prosecuted, while continuing to work closely with the National Prosecuting Authority to strengthen cases brought before the courts,” the police said. – SAnews.
