Johannesburg,South Africa

The police in Western Cape Province has arrested two foreign nationals which were in possession of abalone worth millions of Rands on Wednesday,13 November 2024.

Sergeant Wesley Twigg said an intelligence driven operation conducted by members attached to Kuilsrivier Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit in conjunction with Department of Forestry,Fisheries and Environmental Investigation Unit has led to the arrest of a Zimbabwean national(38) and a Malawian(34) national for the possession of abalone on Wednesday,13 November 2024.

According to Sergeant Twigg,the members received information of a truck that is loaded with abalone that is destined for Gauteng.The members operationalised the information and found the identified truck in the Wellington industrial area.The truck was searched and abalone weighing at 567.40kg concealed in black bags were found in the truck.

Sergeant Twigg revealed that further investigations led the members to a Volkswagen Caddy where the members found abalone weighing at 463,89 kilogram in the vehicle.The estimated street value of the abalone is R7 million.

Sergeant Twigg concluded that the suspects are due to appear in the Wellington Magistrates' Court on Friday,15 November 2024,on the mentioned charges.

Three suspects wanted for murder of Mboneli Vesele

The South African Police Service(SAPS) is seeking the assistance of community members in locating three suspects linked to the murder of the bodyguard of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare.

Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said SAPS has obtained three J50 warrant of arrests for 24-year-old Bafana Chiliza,28-year-old Nkosiyazi 'Dipopoz' Maphumulo,and 35-year-old Siphiwo 'Spijojo' Jejane.The trio is believed to be in hiding between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces.

The trio is linked to the murder of Mboneli Vesele who was employed by the University of Fort Hare as a bodyguard of the vice-chancellor.

According to Brigadier Mathe,on 6 January 2023 Vesele was seated in his vehicle outside the vice-chancellor's residence in the Eastern Cape when he was assassinated by three suspects who were driving a maroon vehicle.Vesele sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the body and was confirmed dead at the scene.A murder case was opened at Alice police station for investigation.

It is clear that Vesele was killed because he was protecting the Vice-Chancellor of University of Fort Hare who was the target.

Brigadier Mathe revealed that an intensive investigation by the National Task Team investigating political related cases yielded positive results when they arrested 10 suspects including three varsity employees who are suspected to be behind the plot.It is reported that the suspects orchestrated the whole thing in order to be awarded security tenders.The 10 accused are still attending court.

The SAPS is appealing to anyone who might have information about the whereabouts of the suspects to contact the Investigating Officers,Warrant Officer Nkosi on 082 557 5789,Sergeant Mokoena on 081 851 7758 and Sergeant Khorommbi on 063 695 8590.