Zim man jailed 12 years for car theft in South Africa

Thupeyo Muleya,

The Mankweng Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 36 year old Zimbabwean man to 12 years imprisonment for contravention of the Immigration Act and possession of stolen motor vehicle in South Africa’s Limpopo province.

The sentencing of Kenias Chimbwanda emanates from a well-coordinated anti-smuggling operation that was conducted on August 27 last year at Solomondale, Sebayeng policing area in Capricorn district and resulted in the recovery of a stolen motor vehicle, a white Toyota Prado VX, valued at R900 000.

In a statement the police spokesperson for Limpopo province Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said the operation involved the Limpopo Tracking Team, Limpopo Provincial investigationsUnit, working alongside External law enforcement Tshimollo Security and Investigation Shadow Secure security.

“Intelligence was received about a Toyota Prado VX, which was stolen in Gauteng Province and was going to be smuggled into Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The operational team kept observation and collected information, and the vehicle was spotted driving on R71 towards Mankweng.

“The team tried to stop the vehicle but the driver, Kenias Chimbwanda sped off towards Solomondale.

“The team gave chase, and the Prado crashed near the Solomondale railway line, colliding with the local principal’s motor vehicle”.

Col Ledwaba said the car was intercepted in the bushes near R81.

He added that investigations revealed that the vehicle was reported stolen at Lyttelton policing area in Pretoria on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, at about 9:00 am.

He said Chimbwanda was sentenced for two years imprisonment for the Contravention of Immigration Act and 10 years imprisonment for possession of stolen motor vehicle.

The court also ordered that the sentences would run concurrently.

The theft of vehicles by syndicates involving South Africans, Malawians, Mozambicans, Basotho and Zimbabweans is common in the neigbhbouring country.

In some instances police from Zimbabwe and South Africa carryout periodic collaborative patrols to reduce the crime along the border.