Two nationals of the neighbouring Kingdom of Eswatini, aged 24 and 27, are set to appear before the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court in Tonga on Wednesday after they were arrested in Mpumalanga for possession of a reported stolen vehicle.
The two suspects, Mancoba Bongi Dlamini, 27, and Siyabonga Thusi, 24, were charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and they made their first court appearance on Monday.
The Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court remanded the accused duo in custody, and the matter was postponed to Wednesday.
“The two were nabbed on the R570 Road between Jeppes Reef and Malelane on Saturday, April 13,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
“Members (police officers) from border policing attached to Operation Vala Umgodi were doing their routine patrol duties when they stopped and searched a Toyota Hilux GD-6 bakkie which looked suspicious to them.”
During the extensive search, police discovered that the popular bakkie was on their wanted list, since it was reported stolen in January.
The vehicle was reported stolen at Bolobedu, in Limpopo.
Mdhluli said police cannot rule out possibilities of laying adding charges against the two accused people, as the investigation unfolds.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has raised concern “about the behaviour of certain foreign nationals, who are in the country for no good reason but solely to commit crime”.
In February, reported that a Ford Ranger Raptor, which was stolen in Gauteng, was recovered by police in Mpumalanga while heading towards the Waverley port of entry – a small border crossing between South Africa and neighbouring Kingdom of eSwatini.
The top-of-the-range Ford Ranger double cable was recovered by police following a tip-off, Captain Magonseni Nkosi said at the time.
“Police were busy with their normal patrol duties when they received information about the vehicle that was reported stolen in Douglasdale, Gauteng province this month and was heading to the borderline separating South Africa and the Kingdom of Eswatini,” said Nkosi.
