Stolen vehicles recovered

South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers on patrol near the border with Mozambique have intercepted and recovered four stolen vehicles worth more than R2 million, the SANDF said yesterday.

Soldiers attached to 14 South African Infantry Battalion were conducting regular patrols on the border about 40km south of the Lebombo Border Post in Mpumalanga early on Friday morning, Brig-Gen Mafi Mgobozi said.

“SANDF members on patrol heard the sound of vehicles approaching in their direction and on investigation they saw four vehicles driving towards them in a convoy.

“A member of the SANDF tried to stop the vehicles, but the driver of the vehicle attempted to run over him. He fired four rounds into the air in an attempt to stop the driver. One of the other vehicles then attempted to overtake the first one and two further shots were fired.

“The security formations then intercepted the vehicles, which consisted of two Toyota Hilux double cab bakkies, a Ford Ranger double cab bakkie, as well as a Nissan truck. All the drivers of the vehicles managed to evade arrest, leaving keys in the ignitions and running away from the scene.”

A short investigation by the South African Police Service (Saps) revealed that the bakkies were stolen in the North West and Limpopo provinces and the Nissan truck in Gauteng.

All four vehicles were handed over to the Saps for further investigation.

The value of the vehicles was estimated at about R2.1 million, Mgobozi said. – ANA