Ex-ANC man ‘drove getaway car’

Former ANC employee Errol Velile Present has been implicated as the driver of a getaway car allegedly involved in a cashin-transit heist in Soweto.

Investigating officer Colonel Solomon Mabasa told the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday that a white Ford Ranger bakkie and a silver Volvo were used in the heist.

Mabasa was testifying at a bail application by Present with Itumeleng Manama‚ Bheki Biyela and Zakhele Zondi.

He also revealed that one of the men implicated had violated his parole conditions.

The bail hearing heard earlier that two vehicles had been found by police at a Dobsonville address.

It was later learnt that the Volvo had been hijacked in Eden Park, Ekurhuleni, while the bakkie had been stolen.

Mabasa said the house where the cars were parked had high walls and a closed steel gate.

Zondi and Present had allegedly gone to the house seeking parking space and were told the gate would be unlocked.

“The house [owner] indicated that the Ford Ranger was driven by Zondi and in it were two black males known to the [householder],” Mabasa said.

“There was a second vehicle‚ a silver Volvo‚ driven by Present, accompanied by Biyela and Manama.”

He said the two vehicles were followed by a van.

“They opened the boot of the [van] and there was some activity going on, but the [householder] could not see what it was they were doing‚” Mabasa said.

He said the accused had left the house‚ except for Present‚ who told the owner he had wanted to ask for food at another house.

Mabasa said police had found 12 empty 9mm pistol cartridges and seven from an AK47 rifle.

The four accused were arrested in July after the heist.

Mabasa also revealed that Biyela had a previous conviction involving the theft of money and had been released on parole after serving two years of his five-year sentence.

“His parole expires in November, [so] he violated his parole conditions.”

The bail application continues. –