Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officers arrested two men linked to kidnapping, armed robbery and other serious offences during an operation on the N3 outside Pietermaritzburg yesterday.

The Witness reports that the arrests took place during the ongoing Nenzani La Ezweni operation, conducted between Hilton and Dr Chota Motala Road.

KZN Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma commended the swift work of the officers.

According to the department’s spokesperson, Ndabazinhle Sibiya, RTI provincial inspectors Phiwokuhle Ndabezitha and Sandile Mhlanzi, working with the SAPS Mountain Rise Dog Unit, responded to a call for assistance from a member of the public who spotted the men he said robbed him weeks earlier.

The officers pursued the suspects’ VW Polo and cornered them near the Cedara Bridge, where the two attempted to flee before being apprehended.

“Miraculously, another victim was found inside the car and rescued by the RTI team,” said Sibiya.

The suspects were found in possession of a firearm with its serial number filed off and one round in the chamber.

Sibiya said police later confirmed that the weapon had been linked to another crime through their system.

Duma praised the joint efforts, saying law enforcement agencies would continue to clamp down on criminal activity on KZN’s roads as the festive season approaches.

“We continue to assure the people of KZN that our highly energised RTI team will have no mercy on reckless motorists and those using our road networks to conduct criminal activities,” Duma said.

“We will keep working closely with SAPS and all partners to ensure the safety of our communities.”

The two suspects are facing charges of kidnapping and armed robbery.

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