A 34 year-old male suspect is due to appear before the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s court on Wednesday 20 May 2026 in connection with hijacking, kidnapping and possession of stolen motor vehicle charges.
On Monday 18 May 2026, a 64-year-old employee attached to Limpopo Department of Public Works was busy working with a grader along the R33 public road outside Bela-Bela when he was stopped by two unknown male suspects who were walking.
The duo pretended to seek assistance with cleaning of a site but he declined and one suspect pointed him with a firearm and he was dragged to the bushes and tied up both hands and feet.
One male suspect left and the other remained guarding an elderly male victim with a firearm when he suddenly, heard the grader being driven away from the scene.
The victim was guarded until the evening when he heard a motor vehicle stopping along the road and the remaining unknown male suspect left him still tied up and fled the scene with an unknown motor vehicle.
The victim managed to get assistance from the members of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) who were searching for him in the vicinity.
The grader worth more than two million rands (R2,000,000) was subsequently found driven by a 34 year-old male suspect who was placed under arrest in Siyabuswa policing area.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has applauded a joint initiative and swift response from members of the SAPS Sekhukhune Tracking Team, Tracker Company, Rural Safety structures, Private Security Company and CPF.
Police investigations are continuing.
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