Police Nab Suspect With Stolen Vehicle, Firearms, And Police Gear Linked To Serious Crimes

Police in the Amajuba District, working with Road Traffic Inspectorate officers and private security, arrested Simphiwe Mhlongo (38) on Wednesday, 16 September 2025.

The arrest followed a tip-off from an off-duty officer who spotted Mhlongo driving along the N11 in a vehicle suspected of involvement in livestock theft in Mpumalanga.

Investigations revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Jeppestown, Johannesburg, back in 2023.

Weapons and Police Uniform Found at Suspect’s Home

A search of the vehicle uncovered an empty rifle bag, which led officers to Mhlongo’s residence. There, police recovered a rifle, a pistol, fragments of police uniform, a police certifying stamp, several car keys, and a vehicle logbook.

Initial checks confirmed that the recovered rifle had been reported stolen in Osizweni.

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Mhlongo appeared in the Utrecht Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 17 September 2025, where he was remanded in custody pending further investigations and a bail application.

On Monday, 22 September 2025, his bid for bail collapsed after police linked him to the murder of a taxi owner in Osizweni, as well as a business robbery in Utrecht during May 2025.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and more charges are expected to follow.

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