Namibian and South African authorities seized millions of dollars from eight Namibian bank accounts linked to alleged illegal coal mining in the Carolina area of South Africa’s Mpumalanga province.
More than N$52.5 million was confiscated which authorities say were the proceeds of, or were used to engage in illegal mining.
The seizure was made by South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)’s Asset Forfeiture Unit in Mpumalanga, in collaboration with South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre (SA–FIC), the Namibian Financial Intelligence Centre (Nam–FIC), and the Namibian Prosecutor–General’s Office, a media statement said.
NPA regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the SA-FIC, in collaboration with their Nam-FIC counterparts, obtained a Namibian FIC temporary freeze order on the funds of Jacobus Jordaan and his wife Elza Jordaan in eight Namibian bank accounts with a total of N$50 205 872.
On 30 December 2024, the Namibian PG’s office obtained a Preservation of Property order in the Namibian High Court in respect of the N$50 205 872 on the basis that the money in the bank accounts represents the proceeds of, and/or was used as instrumentalities to commit the massive alleged illegal coal mining and other offences, including money-laundering, in the Carolina area.
On 14 January 2025, the PG’s office obtained a second Preservation of Property order to the value of N$2 285 500 in the Namibian High Court in respect of a further two Namibian bank accounts in the name of Reinet Binneman, the sister of Elza Jordaan, on the same basis as above.
The total value of the frozen funds in the 10 Namibian bank accounts is N$52 491 372. Jordaan and his wife are among the main accused in the Carolina illegal coal mining case that was transferred to the Mbombela High Court for trial.
“The illegal financial benefit obtained by the accused from the illegal coal mining and other offences in Mpumalanga allegedly amounts to at least N$2 billion,” Nyuswa said.
There was remarkable cooperation and hard work during the December festive season between Namibian and South African law-enforcement agencies to obtain the Namibian High Court seizure orders.
“Both Namibia and South Africa were ‘greylisted’ a few years ago by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for, among other things, failing to sufficiently combat money-laundering. The two Namibian seizure orders will greatly assist in getting the two countries off the FATF greylist,” Nyuswa stated.
The spokesperson added that the dedication, enthusiasm and commitment of the law-enforcement agencies had made a huge difference in combating transnational crime in the two countries.
On 15 November 2023, the South African NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in Mpumalanga, in collaboration with a special anti-illegal mining unit in the South African Police Service (the SAPS), obtained a provisional preservation of property order in the Mbombela High Court over a farm in the Carolina district, stockpiles/heaps of coal in two separate areas (coal ore material and “washed” coal), heavy duty mining machinery (yellow machines), equipment and motor-vehicles (heavy-duty trucks, etc), as well as the washing plant machinery and all movable buildings, machines, equipment and motor-vehicles used at Droog Valley farm Barrel coal-processing and washing plant near Carolina, Mpumalanga area.
“The assets were seized on the basis that it was, on reasonable grounds believed, they were used as instrumentalities to commit various illegal large-scale coal mining and environmental offences at the farm in the Carolina area, and/or that the assets are reasonable grounds to believe the proceeds of unlawful activities, and/or represent the proceeds of unlawful activities, namely the large-scale illegal coal mining and environmental offences,” she continued.
Nyuswa noted that this was the largest seizure of its kind in South Africa. The seizure of the property follows an illegal coal mine operation which was conducted at Portion 11 and Portion 12 of the farm Witkranz 53 IT in the Carolina, Mpumalanga area.
On 21 December 2023, the NPA’s AFU in Mpumalanga, in collaboration with a special illegal mining unit in the South African Police Service (the SAPS), obtained a further provisional restraint of property order against assets to the value of an estimated billion, of Jacobus Jordaan and Elza Jordaan. The Jordaans and 15 other persons and companies are currently standing trial in the Mbombela High Court for multiple offences, including illegal coal mining, environmental offences, theft, corruption and money-laundering. Their criminal trial was transferred to the Middelburg High Court for hearing from 3 to 28 November 2025.
The spokesperson stated that illegal mining activities, coupled with money- laundering in South Africa are a huge concern for the government, as also pronounced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who last year deployed the South African Defence Force to assist the SAPS in eradicating the illegal mining activities and syndicates.
Illegal mining amounts to the plundering of the most valuable natural resources, to the detriment of the fiscus and the broader public. It also destroys Africa’s natural environment and bona fide farming activities.