A notorious criminal, wanted for a string of serious crimes in Brakpan and the surrounding areas, was recently sentenced to 35 years in prison.
This laudable success can be ascribed to the hard work, dedication and persistence of members of the Brakpan Anti-Hijacking Task Team, namely WO Jan Roos and Const Clifford Bezuidenhout.
Lloyd Sifiso Dladla (32), from Daveyton, was convicted on six counts of motor vehicle theft and one count of housebreaking, when he appeared in the Springs Regional Court, earlier this year.
According to information received from Brakpan police, Dladla — who used the alias Mlaba — was a kingpin, responsible for a spate of serious vehicle-related crimes.
Dladla’s first run-in with the task team took place in June, 2012.
Following up on information received, the members travelled to Daveyton and spotted him travelling in a white Ford Bantam bakkie.
They gave chase, but Dladla abandoned the vehicle and managed to escape on foot.
Members discovered that the bakkie had been stolen in Brakpan, and a cellphone found in the vehicle was also found to have been stolen during a hijacking in Brakpan.
In addition, three gel stick explosives were found in the bakkie.
Five months later, Dladla was eventually arrested by the members in Daveyton, following a shoot-out.
Dladla, who was shot in the leg, was charged with attempted murder, possession of stolen goods and hijacking.
While awaiting trial in prison, his leg was amputated as a result of the gunshot wound.
He was later granted bail and released.
The task team caught up with him again in June, last year, and he was arrested again for hijacking.
With the assistance of Capt Rudi du Plessis, of the Brakpan Cluster Detective Services, Dladla was positively linked to eight cases where his fingerprints were found at crimes scenes.
These included cases of hijacking, theft of a motor vehicle, and housebreaking and theft, in Brakpan, Dawn Park, Duduza, KwaThema and Etwatwa.
There were also cases pending against him in Springs.
At this time, Dladla was in custody for hijacking, but it was decided to centralise all the cases to Springs and to charge him for all.
Du Plessis attended five of Dladla’s bail applications in the Springs Regional Court and successfully opposed his bail in August, last year.
He remained in custody until he was convicted and sentenced in January.
Brakpan police told the Herald that Dladla will also be requisitioned from prison and charged on other cases to which he was linked.
