Suspect out on bail arrested again

Limpopo police continue to tighten their grip on criminals as part of Operation Shanela. In their most recent success, a 35-year-old man, previously released on bail for a series of violent crimes committed in the Vhembe District, was arrested once more, this time for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The suspect was apprehended on Monday afternoon, 13 November, after his vehicle was stopped along the R524 just outside Louis Trichardt, near Makhado Crossing, by the Makhado police. A search of the vehicle uncovered a 9mm pistol with its serial number removed, along with five rounds of ammunition concealed inside.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect was previously released on bail after being arrested for various crimes, including cash-in-transit robbery, murder, carjacking, burglary, robbery, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition,” stated provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba in a press release. The suspect was scheduled to appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court on 13 December this year.

Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe welcomed the arrest. “We are committed to ensuring a safer festive season, intensifying efforts to address crime. Our members, drawn from various units, continue to demonstrate their full commitment to public safety,” said Hadebe.

The suspect was expected to appear in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 15 November, to face the recent charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Date:16 November 2023

By: Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

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