The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma applauded the police in Tonga as well as community members for the sterling work done in which four vehicles were recovered on 26 August 2018.
The recovery of the vehicles came as a result of a successful intelligence driven operation at the Nkomazi area, near Malelane. During the operation, two suspects were nabbed in relation to the stolen vehicles.
The Police in Mpumalanga have been working tirelessly in conjunction with patriotic and concerned community members to circumvent cross border crime and the efforts have been paying off, hence the recovery of the vehicles. This is not the first time hijacked or stolen vehicles have been found in the area which is bordering both Mozambique and Swaziland.
Several vehicles have been intercepted in different parts of the area before they could be moved outside the country. Police attributed these successes to the good working relations they have with community structures.
General Zuma indicated that the scourge of cross border crime remains a challenge. However, he mentioned that if the community works as a collective with the police, it can be eradicated.
The vehicles recovered are three white Toyota Hilux bakkies and a silver grey Ford Ranger worth over a million rand. They were recovered at eMadadeni as well as Ntunda in Nkomazi.
“Even though reducing this category of crime remains a challenge in the province, the arrest of the suspects is an indication that we are on the right track,” said General Zuma.
The suspects, Langelihle Mdodane aged 34 and Cesar Mgabhi aged 41 have already appeared before the Tonga Magistrate’s Court and were remanded in custody until 30 August 2018, pending a formal bail application.
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