The Polokwane Regional Court sentenced 34-year-old Mosa Allen Dlamini to 20 years’ direct imprisonment on 23 June after he was convicted on charges of possession of stolen motor vehicles, fraud, money laundering and falsification of vehicle registration plates.
Dlamini entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the State in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act. He admitted that he worked as a runner in a syndicate. His role was to move stolen vehicles through Limpopo border posts into neighbouring countries. He further conceded that he altered registration plates and tampered with engine numbers. The aim was to conceal the identity and origin of the vehicles.
Between August 2024 and February 2025, police arrested him three times. The arrests took place in Polokwane, Musina and Louis Trichardt. At the time, he was found in possession of a Toyota Land Cruiser and a Toyota Fortuner. Investigations later confirmed that the vehicles had been stolen in Pretoria and Johannesburg.
State Advocate George Sekhukhune told the court that vehicle theft and cross-border smuggling remain widespread. He warned that Limpopo continues to be used as a transit route for syndicates moving stolen vehicles out of the country. A strong deterrent sentence, he argued, was necessary.
The court agreed and Dlamini was sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison.
NPA regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said the sentence reflects the seriousness of organised vehicle crime. “This sentence sends a strong message that those who facilitate the movement of stolen vehicles across borders will face severe consequences,” she said.
Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, Adv Ivy Thenga, commended the prosecution and investigating teams. She said their work ensured accountability in a case linked to cross-border syndicate activity.