Two people have died following what lawyers and witnesses describe as an “unlawful” police operation at a coal mine in the Dirkiesdorp area of Mpumalanga.
According to a report published on TimesLIVE, around 20 police vehicles, including heavily armed units, descended on the mine earlier this week without presenting a warrant or court order. The officers allegedly removed several pieces of heavy mining equipment and trucks from the site before leaving the premises.
Shortly after the police left, a collision occurred when a vehicle crashed into one of the stationary mine trucks on a nearby road, resulting in two fatalities.
The mine, operated by Green Lands Investments, is currently at the centre of a legal dispute over mining rights. A rival company, Mamokebe Colliery, claims to hold the valid rights to the site, while Green Lands asserts it is the legitimate operator.
Green Lands’ attorney criticised the police for acting outside the law, claiming the operation was carried out on behalf of private interests rather than under any valid state directive. The attorney said the raid amounted to abuse of power and unlawful interference in a civil matter.
The office of the provincial police commissioner has confirmed that an internal investigation is underway into the conduct of the officers involved. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy also stated that it did not instruct police to intervene, noting that the transfer of mining rights between the two companies had already been suspended pending the outcome of ongoing litigation.
The incident has sparked concern over the role of law enforcement in private business disputes and the potential misuse of state resources. It also highlights long-standing tensions surrounding mining rights in South Africa, where legal battles between competing operators often delay production and put jobs at risk.
Disputes like this are common in the South African mining sector: they may involve contested ownership of rights, unclear or non-compliant transfers, or changes in operator status. Because mining rights are valuable, and because the State reserves certain oversight rights (including suspension of rights for non-compliance), parties often litigate competing claims.
