AUTOFORUM

Well done SAPS

May 01, 2024 MISA, Motor Industry Staff Association, Martlé Keyter, South African Police Service (SAPS)

Well done SAPS

MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, is overjoyed at the South African Police Service (SAPS) numerous arrests in recent weeks in what is believe to be a syndicate focussing on the theft and hijacking of Toyota Fortuners to be sold in neighbouring counties.

After a high-speed chase on Sunday a Malawian male national spotted driving a grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8 along the R101 to Polokwane in Limpopo was apprehended at the Polokwane Shell Ultra City. Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, Provincial police spokesperson in Limpopo, said members of Limpopo SAPS anti-smuggling task team received a tip off regarding vehicles which were destined to be smuggled out of South Africa to Malawi and Zimbabwe, through the busy Beitbridge port of entry. Preliminary police investigations revealed that the Toyota Fortuner was reported stolen in Durban Central, KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday. The grey Toyota Fortuner 2.8 is valued around R800,000.

This comes days after Mashaba announced that the SAPS arrested 23 suspects and recovered 20 high-powered 4x4 vehicles worth approximately R17 million, since December. The vehicles, all stolen in Gauteng, were intercepted at various points en-route to the Beitbridge border post.

“MISA applauds this dedicated team of the SAPS, comprising of specialised detectives, who have been instrumental in the fight against syndicates smuggling Toyota Fortuners out of the country. This is a huge relief for the retail motor industry. The Toyota Fortuner is one of Fidelity Security’s seven most high-risk models being well-equipped to handle African roads. Despite this, the Toyota Fortuner was one of the Top Ten cars sold last year,” says Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations.

Keyter says the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) must follow in the steps of the SAPS and ensure that justice is seen to be done.