A forensic investigator from Bizz Tracers, Calvin Rafadi says the 14 hand grenades found by the police in Khuma, near Stilfontein, are a rare type and used by terrorist groups.
The suspect, who is an undocumented national, appeared at the Stilfontein Magistrates Court on Monday. after he was found walking on the streets of Khuma with the explosives. His case was postponed to May 2 for bail application and verification of his address.
Rafadi said it was unusual for this type of explosive, the pineapple-shaped grenade – to be in the hands of ordinary people because it is used exclusively by the military in conflict zones.
The MK2 especially, is imported from abroad and found mainly in militar zones such as in Mozambique and other SADC countries, but it is still illegal to be in hands of ordinary citizens, he said.
‘It is very rare, it is not easily found, and when it’s there it should be with the military only and they also make use of them when they go to war. The police need to add terrorism charges to the man found in possession of the grenades,” he said.
Rafadi has alleged that weapons are smuggled through our porous border posts by criminal syndicates working in cahoots with corrupt SAPS members and SARS officials. He said the grenades might have been destined for Klerkdorp mines to aid the casting of rocks by those engaged in illegal mining.
“According to our investigation, we found that explosives are not the same. When you look at places like Roodepoort, where illegal miners were arrested recently, the rock there is not as hard as the rocks in Klerksdorp which may require the use of MK2 grenades,” he said.
Residents of Khuma Extension 6 said they were terrified to speak to the media after the arrest, claiming that the suspect knows who they are and what their voices sound like. However, Rafadi contends that the criminals who own these weapons were well-known within the communities they lived and enjoyed some form of protection from community members because they benefit from the ill gotten gains.
“They help the communities with groceries and other daily needs the communities are struggling with. We need to encourage the communities to report this anonymously, this is a crime, and it will cause a problem for the country. It can destroy the country and the safety of our communities and children,” he said.
Last year, more than 20 illegal miners were arrested at a shaft in Stilfontein and the police found assault rifles and explosives prompting a visit by Police Minister Bheki Cele who promised to meet with the residents in two weeks.
However, Cele never showed up to address the concerns of Khuma and Stilfontein residents regarding crime and the ineffectiveness of the police in dealing with it.
