Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Sipho Hlomuka has commended a special task team deployed in the uMkhanyakude District to curb cross-border crime for arresting three suspects linked to the murder of Sipho “Juda” Mthethwa.
Mthethwa was an anti-crime activist who was gunned down earlier this year.
Mthethwa was a founding member and chairperson of the Mhlabuyalingana Society Against Crime Organisation and was at the forefront of fighting cross-border crime.
“The provincial government commends the stellar work done by the special task team deployed in uMkhanyakude District. Our crime prevention and combating interventions are yielding positive results, Hlomuka said.
“Since May this year, 99 754 suspects have been arrested because of high-density integrated crime intelligence-driven operations. We are confident that more arrests are imminent,” Hlomuka added.
The resumption of erecting jersey barriers and the deployment of the Border Management Authority are other interventions introduced by the provincial government to curb cross-border crime.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said three more suspects belonging to a syndicate that had been smuggling stolen vehicles across the border to Mozambique were arrested.
Two of the suspects are also accused of killing Mthethwa who was shot and killed outside his home in February.
Mathe said that Thokozani Dlamini, 36, Sipho Mhlanga, 36, and Xolani Mkhwanazi, 28, were arrested during a takedown operation in Empangeni last week.
“In their possession, they were found with two unlicensed pistols and several rounds of ammunition. The firearms have been taken in for ballistic testing to determine if they have been used in the commission of crimes,” Mathe said.
“The three have already appeared in various courts in northern KwaZulu-Natal including, Empangeni, Emanguzi and Ngwelezane magistrate’s Courts on charges of murder, kidnapping, hijacking, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition as well as house robbery. The trio are linked to at least 52 more cases of car hijackings in northern KZN.”
Mathe added that the task team is confident that more arrests and vehicles will be recovered in the area.
SAPS national commissioner General Fannie Masemola said: “We will continue to ensure we prevent and combat crime in communities like uMkhanyakude. Since the inception of crime combating operations like Operation Shanela we have managed to arrest 99 754 suspects in a bid to ensure safer communities since May 8, 2023.”
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