Durban — A hijacking suspect that was arrested earlier this week is also a prison escapee from nine years ago.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the arrest of Vusi Amos Malwane (Zulu) who had escaped from prison in 2014.
“The 44-year-old Malwane was arrested at the border of South Africa and Mozambique just after midnight on Tuesday. He will appear in the eManguzi Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, a string of hijackings as well as escaping from prison.
“Malwane has been found to be the mastermind behind a spate of hijackings which have been happening in and around the eManguzi area,” Netshiunda said.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Sipho Hlomuka hailed law enforcement for apprehending the suspect believed to be the mastermind behind the string of hijackings along the Kosi Bay border line between Manguzi and Mozambique.
“We applaud the excellent work done by law enforcement that led to the arrest of a wanted criminal and mastermind behind the cross-border crime.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg, more arrests are imminent. We have unleashed a large number of law enforcement operatives in the area to curb cross-border crime. We are confident that our police are equal to this task,” Hlomuka said.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube held a high-level engagement with the High Commissioner of Mozambique in South Africa, Ambassador Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, to enhance trade relations, investment and cooperation in various social and economic development areas.
The Premier’s office reported that the safe, orderly, and humane movement of persons between Mozambique and South Africa, particularly addressing cross-border crime between KZN and Mozambique, was high on the agenda.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of Africa’s Travel Indaba, the largest tourism trade show on the African continent, hosted at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from May 8 to 11.
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