While the country is still dealing with the debacles of suspected illegal miners underground at two shafts in Stilfontein, North West, Mining magnet Patrice Motsepe has been accused of being involved in illegal mining activities at Assmang mine in Kuruman in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.
This was confirmed to The Azanian that the permit holder PP Gemstone is still being bullied and abused because Motsepe is allegedly remote controlling the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).
Jacob Mbele, the Director General of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has been accused of snubbing and marginalising PP Gemstone because he is allegedly being handled by Motsepe’s Company Assmang.
Reportedly, this dispute which has drawn in the police, the South African Revenue Service (Sars), the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is stirred by illegal export of a rare and valuable gemstone known as sugilite.
It was also confirmed that the saga began in February when information reached the authorities that sugilite, a by-product of manganese mining, was being smuggled out of the country through OR Tambo International Airport.
Sugilite is a rare, semi-precious gemstone that's known for its purple colour and hexagonal crystal structure. It is highly valued and priced in Asia. And the gemstone is exported by an Asian man named Chang Chinfu who claimed to have sourced the stones from Assmang’s Blackrock Mine in Kuruman.
Assmang Proprietary Limited was incorporated in the Republic of South Africa in 1935, and operates through three key divisions: iron ore, manganese and the smelting operations. It is owned jointly by Assore South Africa Proprietary Limited (Assore) and Motsepe’s African Rainbow Minerals Limited (ARM).
PP Gemstone as a permit holder has already lost sugilite that belongs to them and illegally mined by Assmang and Motsepe worth more than R3 billion. A source told The Azanian alleged that Motsepe and his allies every day are claiming that they are mining manganese, but they are busy doing criminal activities and are assisted by DG Mbele who influenced all his juniors to support Motsepe and marginalise PP Gemstone. (Mbele supports illegal miners and fights with the permit holders).
In relation to the cargo that’s confiscated at OR Tambo, PP Gemstone said Motsepe is still allegedly putting a hold on it using his legal team Werksmans Attorneys and DMRE to hold that product. The DG is refusing to sign a recommendation letter for PP Gemstone in order for them to get their export licence.
“We are asking President Cyril Ramaphosa to address this issue and Patrice must pay back all the stolen money or must be reported to SAPs,” PP Gemstone director who also confirmed that a case of theft has already been reported but unattended because Motsepe has power.
PP Gemstone director further said Motsepe’s s right hand man by the name of Matlala told him to refrain from exposing their shenanigans or will suffer till death.
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