A Toyota Land Cruiser 200, estimated to be worth R4 million, was recently recovered by police in Lebowakgomo near Polokwane, Limpopo.
The vehicle is believed to belong to Mandla Mandela, a Member of Parliament and the grandson of former President Nelson Mandela. The Land Cruiser was reported stolen from a parking lot at Menlyn Mall in Pretoria on the afternoon of August 7th.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, disclosed that the SUV was intercepted while en route to being smuggled into Zimbabwe.
The SAPS Provincial Anti-Smuggling Task Team acted promptly to recover the vehicle before it could cross the border. Their swift and coordinated response has been commended by General Hadebe.
The police have charged a 42-year-old Zimbabwean national with possession of a presumed stolen motor vehicle and contravention of the Immigration Act after it was determined that he had entered the country illegally.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday, August 12.
Mandla Mandela expressed surprise and concern over how a vehicle with such advanced security features could be so easily stolen from a mall. This incident raises important questions about vehicle security and the effectiveness of current anti-theft measures in place.
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In a related update, the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Unit in Polokwane conducted a raid on a suspected firearm training facility in Modimolle.
The operation, carried out in collaboration with the Public Order Policing (POP) and the local Tactical Response Team, led to the seizure of several firearms and ammunition. While the purpose of the training is still under investigation, police have not ruled out the possibility of military-related training.
