Vusi Amos Zulu Malwane, the cross-border vehicle smuggling kingpin who terrorised communities in KwaZulu-Natal, has been convicted and sentenced to over 50 years in prison.
Confirming the verdict, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, Spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS), stated that the 44-year-old Malwane received a collective sentence of 55 years for his crimes.
Malwane’s charges leading to the lengthy imprisonment include kidnapping (6 years), robbery with aggravating circumstances (hijacking – 30 years), and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition (15 years).
“For over a decade, Malwane led a syndicate responsible for numerous motor vehicle hijackings in Emanguzi and surrounding areas,” stated Mathe.
According to Mathe, Malwane orchestrated the smuggling of stolen vehicles into neighbouring Mozambique by exploiting various border routes within the province. Although he had previously escaped from lawful custody in 2014, he was apprehended on May 9, 2023, by the Emanguzi cross-border operation task team. This task team, deployed by National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola to combat cross-border crimes, including vehicle theft, successfully rearrested Malwane.
General Masemola commended the task team’s ongoing progress, reporting the arrest of 75 suspects since its deployment four months ago.
“Through our interventions and deployments in the area, we have managed to recover 37 vehicles and seize 27 firearms with 321 rounds of ammunition,” stated General Fannie Masemola.
In addition to the other charges, the Ingwavuma Regional Court sentenced Malwane to an additional four years of imprisonment for escaping from lawful custody.
As Malwane now faces more than five decades behind bars, the community is invited to share their thoughts on these developments in the comment section below.
