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Pretoria – Police in Mpumalanga have warned communities to stop looting chrome ore from moving trains.
A spokesperson for the police in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said on Wednesday, a crowd of looters moved away from a train when law enforcement agents arrived.
“More than 80 people were distracted by police whilst looting chrome from the goods train in Dullstroom yesterday, Wednesday, May 10, 2023,” said Mohlala.
“Police received a tip-off from a chrome company called the Eastern Chrome Mine Samancor regarding a group of people who were busy looting chrome from the train between Dullstroom and Belfast railway line.”
Mohlala said the group of looters scattered when police arrived, leaving loaded bags.
“When members were approaching the scene, about 80 looters who were at the vicinity, carrying bags filled with chrome, are said to have fled to different direction when they realised that police were coming. The alleged looters reportedly disappeared into the bushes,” he said.
“The members reportedly found some bags filled with chrome and these items were scattered as well as abandoned on the ground.”
Mohlala said the besieged train has since moved “to a much safer place”.
He added that “no case has been opened so far”.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has sent a “strong warning” to the community members, urging them to refrain from such conduct which could place their lives in danger.
She said the situation could quickly become an “unnecessary catastrophe” if another train arrived while the looters were on the railway lines.
South Africa is home to the world's largest chromite deposits and is reportedly the largest ferrochrome and chromite ore producer. Many countries across the world depend on South Africa for their chromium imports.