Pretoria – Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed in Limpopo have recovered more than R10m worth of hijacked or stolen vehicles, as well as illicit cigarettes in the past week.
Captain Moses Semono said during a routine roadblock with police officers, the soldiers impounded a Toyota Fortuner and upon routine inspection, police found that the colour and the VIN number of car did not correspond with the licence disc on the windshield.
He said the vehicle, estimated at R530 000 was recovered in conjunction with police officers from Tshamutumbu police station.
At Masisi, Semono said the station commander requested for SANDF backup after receiving a tip-off of a hijacking.
“While busy with the briefing at the police station, the wife of the hijacked man arrived, informing our members that her husband is safe at Tshenzelani Village but the vehicle was gone. The SA National Defence Force members were immediately dispatched to the position of the husband, who took our soldiers to the scene of the crime,” Semono said.
“Our soldiers urgently followed on the tracks which were leading towards the Limpopo River. The Ford Ranger was recovered at Gumbu 1 and was recovered to Masisi South African Police Service for further processing. The estimated value of the vehicle is R490 000.”
At Malalahoek Junction, soldiers confiscated a Toyota Legend 50 2.8 GD6 vehicle after the driver fled the scene when directed to stop.
“The soldiers managed to apprehend the co-driver who was then handed over to the police in Musina. The Toyota Hilux Legend is estimated at R900 000 and the vehicle was recovered by Musina SA Police Service,” Semono said.
“The following day, at the very same Malalahoek Junction, an unco-operative truck driver arrived and refused to open his truck when stopped by our members claiming that he was transporting oranges. The soldiers insisted on the driver opening the truck and upon opening it, they found the illicit cigarettes worth R 7 376 850.”
Semono said the estimated value of the Hino truck is R1 200 000.
“The driver was then arrested and handed over to Musina SA Police Service. He happened to be a Zimbabwean national and he was also found with R19 700 cash in his possession as well as a passport,” he said.
The officer commanding the Joint Tactical Headquarters in Limpopo, Colonel Choene Samuel Mabotja has commended the soldiers “for the great job they are doing”.
IOL