South Africans jailed after being caught driving stolen Toyota to Zimbabwe

Two suspects, Simphiwe Dhladhla, 32, and Siphiwe Sigasa, 31, were remanded in custody after appearing in court for possession of a stolen Toyota Fortuner and a Toyota Hilux GD-6 bakkie.

The duo appeared before the Mankweng Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, where their case was postponed until July 7 for formal bail application.

Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo, stated that the two men were arrested during an intense anti-smuggling operation conducted between Sunday and Monday in the Capricorn District of Limpopo.

"This (operation was conducted) after members of Limpopo SAPS provincial anti-smuggling task team and Capricorn District flying squad unit received a tip-off about two vehicles that were to be smuggled out of the country, presumably to Zimbabwe, through the Beitbridge port of entry," said Ledwaba.

Subsequent to receiving the intelligence information, the police team swiftly responded and intercepted the two vehicles, a grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8 and a white Toyota Hilux GD-6 double cab.

The vehicles were spotted by the police driving along the R71 from Boyne in the Mankweng policing area towards Polokwane.

"The members stopped the two vehicles, and upon searching them, the drivers failed to produce the valid documents of the vehicles. Both vehicles were fitted with false registration number plates and false licence discs. The suspects were immediately arrested," said Ledwaba.

Preliminary police investigations have revealed that the grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8, valued at R900,000 was reported stolen at Muldersdrift in Gauteng province on Saturday.

Police said the white Toyota Hilux double cab, valued at R700,000, was found to have been reported stolen in Brooklyn, east of Pretoria, in Gauteng province.

The Toyota Hilux bakkie was also reported stolen on Saturday.

"A combined value of the vehicles is estimated at R1.6 million," said Ledwaba.

Meanwhile, the provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has applauded the law enforcement team members for recovering the stolen vehicles.

She also saluted the officers for "always being alert and hands-on to deal immensely with criminality" within the province.

Last year, IOL reported that the regional court at Mokopane, in Limpopo, had convicted and sentenced a 35-year-old South African man, Shane Mthombeni who was arrested while driving a stolen Toyota Fortuner to Zimbabwe.

At the time, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said Mthombeni was sentenced to six years of direct imprisonment, without the option to pay a fine.

"The court heard that the South African citizen, Shane Mthombeni was intercepted by police while driving a silver motor vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner at Nyl Toll Plaza along the N1 Highway on Monday, October 30," Mashaba said.

Members of the Limpopo police's provincial tracking team, in conjunction with a private security company, operationalised gathered information and arrested the driver.