Limpopo: Limpopo Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the arrest of suspects implicated in spiking and murder incidents on the N1 freeway. Hadebe says the arrest of the suspects will go a long way to solving a number of attacks on motorists and passengers in the province, especially on highways.

According to South African Government News Agency, a number of cases were reported, where victims driving along the N1 freeway in the area of Bela Bela and other parts along the N1, had their vehicles damaged as a result of spiking, leading to tyre punctures. When their vehicles came to a standstill, these motorists were attacked and robbed of their valuables. In another incident, a victim was shot and died on the scene.

Police have been working tirelessly to track and trace these suspects. The suspects were arrested after combined efforts by members of the South African Police Service, including detectives in Bela Bela, and members from the neighbouring North West and Gauteng province
s. The robbers, after appearing in court in Temba, Hamanskraal, were brought to Bela Bela in Limpopo.

An identification parade was held on 14 November 2024, in which witnesses managed to successfully identify the suspects as those who robbed them. The suspects were then arrested and charged for cases of armed robbery and murder, which happened in June and July 2024.

The following are facing armed robbery charges (which took place in June 2024 in Bela Bela): Alberto Quiton Lucas, Khoza Khumalo, Tsakirai Wedzerai and John Moyo. The following are facing a murder charge (which happened in July 2024): Khoza Khumalo, Brighton Zacheche and John Moyo. The accused appeared in the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court on Friday and their cases were postponed to 9 December 2024, for bail application. Police investigations continue.