The Pietermaritzburg Public Order Policing Unit recorded successes in the Ladysmith area during recent operations.
The officers were involved in crime prevention operations in the Weenen area on Wednesday, October 9, and were following up on information about a vehicle transporting suspected stolen goats when the vehicle was spotted on the main road. The white Toyota Hilux bakkie with Durban number plates was stopped and searched, and 28 suspected stolen goats were found. Two of the goats were already dead, probably because of overcrowding in the vehicle. Four suspects who were in the vehicle and unable to give a satisfactory explanation about the goats were arrested. The goats are suspected to have been stolen in the Ladysmith area.
The suspects were charged with possession of suspected stolen property. Mduduzi Xaba (28), Siphamandla Madondo (36), Bhekathule Ndakane (22) and Jabulani Sithole (23) appeared in the Colenso Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, October 10, and were remanded in custody until October 18 for a bail application at the Weenen Magistrate’s Court.
An appeal is made to anyone whose goats are stolen or go missing to contact the Estcourt Stock Theft Unit to identify them. KZN provincial commissioner Lt General Mammonnye Ngobeni is delighted with the ever-alert members of the Pietermaritzburg POP. She appeals to livestock owners to work together with police in the fight against stock theft and to make sure they brand their livestock, as required by law.
On Thursday, October 10, the same officers were conducting stop and search duties in the Pomeroy area and following up information about illegal firearms. They went to an identified homestead, where they found a Magnum revolver with no serial number and one live round of ammunition. A 47-year-old man was arrested for being in possession of the unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He appeared in the Nhlanhleni Magistrate’s Court the same day and the case was remanded for further investigation.
Three more firearms – a Norinco pistol, CZ pistol and 9mm pistol – were found abandoned in another area of Pomeroy. A bag of dagga weighing 25kg and with a street value of more than R2500 was also found. All recovered firearms will be sent for ballistics tests to establish if they were used in any other crimes in the country.
