Five suspects, two from Mpumalanga and three from Malangeni, are due to appear in the Umzinto Magistrates’ Court this week on three charges of hijacking. Two of them face further charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
A project team consisting of members of the Scottburgh South African Police Service (SAPS) Detective Services was set up to track down and arrest hijacking suspects in the mid-south coast region. The team carried out an intelligence driven operation on Sunday night, 13 May, and proceeded to a hotel in Umzinto where they found two men in a room in alleged unlawful possession of an unlicensed pistol and five rounds of ammunition.
Further investigations led the team to an address in Malangeni, inland of Umzinto, where they arrested three more suspects with the assistance of members of the Port Shepstone Tactical Response Team (TRT).
All five of the suspects were wanted in three cases of hijacking which occurred in Umzinto earlier this month.
Detectives are investigating if the suspects are linked to any other cases in the area.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the members of the Project Team for their excellent work in arresting the suspects before the hijackings in the mid-south coast area could escalate any further. She urged the members to continue with their good work and to work closely with the Crime Intelligence members to identify and remove criminals off our streets.
For further information, contact:
Colonel Jay Naicker
Tel: 031 325 6083/6084/6085
Fax: 031 325 6087
E-mail: kzn.mediacentre@saps.gov.za
Five arrested hijackers appear in court
