miners

Extractor fans and burners are industrially used components in various industries including mining; however, specific reaction vessels needed for illegal drug manufacturing are not readily available legally and need to be imported illegally or manufactured locally with misrepresentations.

“the extractor fans are industrially used in a number of industries... the reaction vessels because it needs to be a specific vessel that is scientifically developed... So that vessels need to be either manufactured in South Africa or illegally imported with misrepresentations”

There were incidents involving mining operations by a person referred to as Sarmandka, including persistent demands for positions and damage caused by blasting affecting electricity.

“because what happens, what they explained is Sarmandka [?] gives them mining places to mine and then they extract and then Sarmandka buys the minerals from them. And then there was one who was blasting all over, damaging electricity and whatsoever. And when Sarmandka stops him, he wants them to give potions and whatsoever.”