On Friday, the Mtubatuba Regional Court sentenced a 45-year-old Mpumelelo Cloud Goba after pleading guilty to theft of a motor vehicle worth more than R700 000.
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The National Task Team that was deployed to Emanguzi, northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, to prevent and combat cross-border crimes, has secured yet another conviction of a vehicle smuggler.
On Friday, the Mtubatuba Regional Court sentenced a 45-year-old Mpumelelo Cloud Goba after pleading guilty to theft of a motor vehicle worth more than R700 000 from a parking lot in Durban Central in August 2025.
Goba was sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment, half of which is suspended for a period of 5 years on condition he is not found guilty of a similar offence.
"The team operationalised information which was circulated about a Toyota Fortuner stolen at the parking lot in Durban. They intercepted the said vehicle with false registration en-route to Emanguzi to be handed over to another driver to be smuggled into Mozambique, ultimately leading to Goba’s arrest.
"He was charged with theft of motor vehicle, and the team further conducted investigation as well as successfully opposing his bail application in the Hluhluwe District Court until his case was transferred and finalised in the Mtubatuba Regional Court on March 27," said SAPS in a statement.
"This sentence underscores the Emanguzi Task Team’s unwavering commitment and dedication to deal decisively with cross border crimes, especially vehicle smuggling from South Africa to the neighbouring countries, mostly to Mozambique.
"Since April 2025 to date, the team arrested 96 suspects for various offences, seized 16 illegal firearms, including imitations, and recovered 67 vehicles as well as one truck. The team remains dedicated to combating cross-border crimes in the north of KwaZulu-Natal and surrounding areas, specifically focusing on vehicle theft and smuggling, robbery, carjacking, illegal possession of firearms, murder, attempted murder and robbery."