Police arrested four suspects between the ages of 22 and 47 for possession of explosives at Wanderers Taxi Rank in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Xoli Mbele said the men were found with cables, gel and a powder used to make explosives for illegal mining. “Two of the suspects were found inside a taxi while the other two were yet to board the taxi."

The men were headed to Klerksdorp in the North West. Mbele said police were busy with their routine stop-and-search operation at the taxi rank when they saw two suspicious males carrying bags. They searched their bags and recovered the explosives.

“Explosives experts were summoned to the scene where they confirmed that they were indeed explosives. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were going to use the explosives in their illegal mining activities,” said Mbele.

The suspects were expected to appear in the Johannesburg magistrate's court on Friday.