Transnational crime syndicates behind illegal mining, says Hawks boss Lebeya

Theft of precious metals, illegal mining and transnational trafficking of commodities are not only local issues but an international phenomenon affecting other countries, Hawks head Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya says.  He told delegates of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) who visited the Sibanye-Stillwater mine on Thursday the mining industry was a critical contributor to the economy. “However, it is also a target for a violent attacks, inclusive of theft, daily interruptions which threaten the very existence of this industry,” he said. He said in response to these challenges,…