Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
A 33-year-old Zimbabwean has been jailed for an effective 15 years for smuggling an assortment of explosives into South Africa via the Beitbridge port of entry.
Brighton Fore was convicted and sentenced by the Musina Regional Court on Tuesday on charges of unlawful possession of explosives.
He was arrested on January 29 last year as the crackdown against crime by Zimbabwean and South African security authorities continues along the two countries’ border.
In a statement, South Africa’s specialised police unit (Hawks), Limpopo spokesperson, Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, said Fore was arrested while travelling in a bus from Zimbabwe to that country.
“On July 22 2025, Musina Regional Court convicted and sentenced a Zimbabwean national, Fore Brighton (33), to 15 years direct imprisonment for unlawful possession of explosives,” said Warrant Officer Mmuroa.
“Charges are that on January 29 2024, the police at Beitbridge Port of Entry stopped and searched a bus that was travelling from Zimbabwe to South Africa. During the search, police found a bag carrying items suspected to be explosives.
“The Musina-based Bomb Disposal Unit and Musina Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) were summoned to the crime scene, and the bomb technician confirmed recovered items as explosives.”
He said security officials found 94 detonator cartridges and 100 capped fuses and Fore was arrested for unlawful possession of explosives and detained at Musina SAPS.
The case docket was then registered and transferred to Musina-based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) for further investigations.
He said the accused made several bail applications without success since his arrest last year until his conviction and sentencing this week.
“The Hawks handled the case until the accused was convicted and sentenced. The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Limpopo Province Major General (Adv) Gopz Govender, has welcomed the conviction and sentence of the accused,” said Warrant Officer Mmuroa.
“He further sent a stern warning to other individuals who think of committing similar offences to refrain from doing that because they will be arrested, convicted and sentenced to long jail terms.”
The smuggling of explosives between Zimbabwe and South Africa is rife and border authorities from both countries have arrested more than 10 people for similar offences in the last six months.
It is understood that the explosives are being used mainly by syndicates involved in illegal mining activities in the Gauteng and Free State provinces.
