News24 | SEE | RPG launcher, boosters and ammo seized in Germiston explosives bust

The Anti-Gang Unit seized military-grade explosives including a RPG launcher, eight boosters and rounds of ammunition from a Mozambican national in Germiston.

• The Anti-Gang Unit seized military-grade explosives, including an RPG launcher, eight boosters and rounds of ammunition from a Mozambican national in Germiston.
• The arrest occurred during a search for AK-47 rifles but uncovered far more dangerous weaponry with the suspect having no legal documentation for explosives.
• The operation involved multiple specialised units in the East Rand area, which has become a significant hotspot for zama zama activity.

The Anti-Gang Unit has successfully seized dangerous explosives and arrested a Mozambican foreign national on charges of possession of multiple military-grade explosives during an operation searching for illegal weaponry.

According to a preliminary success report on Friday, members of the Anti-Gang Unit received information regarding a Mozambican foreign national suspected of being in possession of two AK-47 rifles, in Malvern East, Germiston.

The operation led to the discovery of far more dangerous weapons than initially expected.

“Upon arrival, members found an African male inside the house. The team introduced themselves as police officers and requested permission to search the premises, which was granted,” the report stated.

During the search, authorities discovered military-grade explosives, which included one RPG-7 launcher, eight RPG-7 boosters, and eight RPG-7 grenades.

The 43-year-old suspect was arrested on the scene after failing to produce any legal documentation permitting him to have explosives.

“The Explosives Unit confirmed that the suspect will be charged with possession of military explosives,” the report noted.

The operation involved multiple specialised units working in coordination to ensure the safe handling of the dangerous materials.

This included the Explosives Unit, Local Criminal Record Centre, and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, known as the Hawks, as well as the Johannesburg Tactical Response Unit.

Zama zama activity

The East Rand area of Ekurhuleni has become a significant hotspot for zama zama activity, which operates extensively in the region’s disused gold mines.

These miners often come from neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, and have capitalised on the slowdown in large-scale gold mining operations that left numerous abandoned or partially closed mines accessible for unregulated mining.

The phenomenon has grown substantially as these miners use rudimentary tools and explosives to extract gold from underground tunnels, sometimes living underground for days or months.

News24 previously reported on zama zama-fuelled violence at East Rand informal settlements.

Plastic City, outside Brakpan, experienced frequent bloody clashes in 2025 between heavily armed illegal miners, with deadly shootouts between rival zama zama groups over the past decade.

This ultimately resulted in the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department demolishing the entire settlement in a joint operation to root out illicit mining and curb escalating crime.