Police unearthed a major arms cache in Limpopo on Friday, which they believed was linked to an alleged plot by rightwingers to overthrow the government.
National police representative Director Phuti Setati said the cache, which included 16 powerful home-made bombs, was found buried on a farm in Modimolle (Nylstroom) following intensive intelligence gathering operation. No arrests have been made.
The find included 16 ammonia nitrate cylinder bombs — between 20 and 45 litres in size. The smallest of the bombs stood about 70cm in height, the largest about one metre.
These were the same type of bombs a group of rightwingers allegedly planned to use to disrupt the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Sandton, Johannesburg, last month. Their plans were foiled by the police.
Thousands of rounds of ammunition for different arms, including shotguns, R1 and R4 rifles, and 9mm pistols were also seized. Dozens of home-made grenades were also found in boxes.
Police furthermore found time switches for bombs, and 24 20-litre buckets of chemicals for use in manufacturing bombs. Police have so far arrested 12 men in connection with the alleged rightwing coup d’etat plot. They are to stand trial on charges of terrorism and treason in the Pretoria High Court next year.
According to court documents, the planned coup was the work of an organisation called ”Boeremag”, which intended to take control of the government and chase all black South Africans out of the country.
Police have also arrested a Limpopo doctor, Johan Pretorius, on suspicion of involvement in the plot. He was apprehended last month after police seized a truck at Lichtenburg registered in his name. It was allegedly loaded with arms, medical equipment and food.
Setati would on Friday not say how the latest find was linked to the plot. ”I cannot elaborate on that at this stage,” he said.
He would also not say whether anyone had been linked to the cache. – Sapa