By Akani Nkuna
Four South African accused in the R1 billion Swartruggens drug laboratory case are expected to apply for bail next month after the matter was postponed in the Swartruggens Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The court heard that the number of accused in the case had increased to 13 after two more suspects handed themselves over to police.
The accused appeared after the case was postponed from their first appearance to allow the State to verify immigration status, secure interpreters and prepare for possible bail proceedings.
The State told the court that preliminary checks had found that eight of the accused were in South Africa illegally.
The first 11 accused were arrested after police uncovered a clandestine drug laboratory on a farm near Swartruggens in the North West earlier this month. SAPS said the facility was believed to have been used to manufacture methamphetamine and that the estimated value of the illicit laboratory exceeded R1 billion.
The original accused included five Mexican nationals, two Mozambican nationals, one Zimbabwean national and three South Africans.
They have previously been named as Mexican nationals Fabián Astorga, Jesús Alonso Medina Astorga, Luis Alberto Ramírez Ríos, José Andrés Medina and Jacquelin López Madrid; Mozambican nationals Ismael Afiado Massingue and Lourenço Constantino Cumbane; Zimbabwean national Tobias Soyani; and South Africans Tyron John Schutte, Kyle Schutte and Vusi Amos Mkambi.
The accused face charges linked to the alleged manufacture of drugs, unlawful possession of precious metals, unlawful possession of hazardous materials and alleged contraventions of the Immigration Act.
On Friday, the court was told that a Spanish interpreter was not available, despite efforts to secure one. The court heard that an interpreter would be available on 12 June.
A defence lawyer argued that the matter should proceed urgently for the accused who were able to understand English.
“[Y]our worship will know better than anyone else that the bail application is inherently urgent. Now, I’ve noted my learned friend’s position regarding the Spanish interpreter, however, accused 1, 2, 12 and 13 are conversant in English,” the defence lawyer said.
“And to allow postponement for the matter to the dates suggested by my learned friend, as advised by the Spanish interpreter, would be highly prejudicial with those applicant’s right to proceed with the application for bail on an urgent basis.”
The case was postponed to 12 June 2026 for a formal bail application by accused 1, Tyron John Schutte; accused 2, Kyle Schutte; accused 12, Chantel Adele Schutte; and accused 13, Johann Louis Schutte.
