Limpopo police seize bakkie stolen in Gauteng bound for Zimbabwe

Limpopo police have arrested a 33-year-old South African man and seized a suspected stolen bakkie valued at over R1 million.

The arrest comes as part of their campaign to clamp down on illegal smuggling activities across the province, targeting hotspots known for illicit trade and smuggling.

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On Friday, members of the Provincial Tracking team, in collaboration with private security companies, arrested the suspect.

According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the bakkie was intercepted in Polokwane en route to be smuggled into Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge border post.

The suspect was arrested following a high-speed car chase.

The recovered bakkie was reported stolen on Wednesday, 21 February, in Alberton.

The suspect is expected to appear before Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing a charge of possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle.

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Police investigations continue.

In a separate incident in the province on Wednesday, police seized nine inflatable boats at Chirumbu, east of Musina in the Vhembe District.

Members of the SAPS K9 Unit, Border Policing Teams, and the SANDF acted on information about smuggling of illegal immigrants and counterfeit goods at the sandbank of the Limpopo River, said Ledwaba.

“The suspects evaded arrest by fleeing on foot upon realizing they were being cornered, abandoning the inflatable boats. Subsequently, Police seized the boats, which are expected to be disposed of,” said Ledwaba.

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Also on Wednesday, three undocumented foreign nationals aged between 18 and 33 years were arrested at Nhlaniki village outside Giyani in the Mopani District for illegal mining and contravention of the immigration act.

“During the operation, the team pounced on the three suspects at an illegal mining site while digging for precious minerals underground at about 02:00 in the morning,” said Ledwaba.

The team confiscated mining equipment, including spades and a shovel.

Innocent Mazukana, 33, George Sithole, 28, and Thomas Makwuenda, 32, briefly appeared before the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

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They were remanded in custody, and their cases were postponed for further investigations.