Polokwane – A 22-year-old young man was arrested at Slomondale outside the Polokwane town by the police’s anti-smuggling operation for car theft and attempting to smuggle it to Zimbabwe through the Beit bridge border post on Wednesday night, August 27, 2025.
Spokesperson for the police in Limpopo Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said an intelligence was received about a Toyota Prado VX, stolen in Gauteng and was going to be smuggled into Zimbabwe.
She said the operational team composed of the Limpopo Tracking Team, Limpopo PIU, working alongside External law enforcement Tshimollo Security and Investigation Shadow Secure security was activated on the R71 road near Mankweng Location.
“The team of heavily armed police officers kept observing and collecting information, and a stolen Toyota Prado VX valued at R1.2 million was spotted driving on the R71 towards the Mankweng area.
The team tried to stop the vehicle and the driver sped off towards Solomondale,” Mashaba said.
“The heavily armed team gave chase, and the Prado crashed near the Solomondale railway line, colliding with the local school principal’s motor vehicle. The car was intercepted in the bushes near R81. Investigations revealed that the vehicle was reported stolen at the Lyttelton policing area in Pretoria on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, at about 9:00 am,” she said.
“A 22-year-old man was arrested, and he will appear before the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on Friday, 29 August 2025 facing charges of theft of a motor vehicle and reckless and negligent driving,” she said.
The injured local school principal was rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, commended the continuous success of the coordinated operations, emphasizing the effectiveness of cooperation in combating cross-border vehicle smuggling.
