KZN farmers praised for helping to catch crooks

Farmers in the Ifafa area of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast have been heaped with praise by the province’s police commissioner.

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This after the farmers, together with SAPS officers and officers of the Magma Security company worked together to apprehend four suspects who allegedly robbed the office of Club Marina in Ifafa. KZN SAPS spokesperson, Captain Thulani Zwane, explained that the four suspects robbed the office of an undisclosed sum of money, and tied up a woman who was working there before making their getaway in the woman’s car.

“She eventually managed to alert security officials of Magma Security who gave chase while she contacted the police,” Zwane said. “A number of local farmers joined in the search, effectively boxing in the suspects who had no alternative but to abandon the vehicle and seek cover in a sugarcane field,” he said. Police officers and patrol dogs quickly joined the search and soon arrested the suspects in their various hiding places. Police reportedly recovered a knife and a firearm and eight rounds of ammunition.

“The police were fortunate not to have suffered any casualties as the pistol had been cocked with a round in the chamber ready to be fired,” said Zwane. KZN Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, was full of praise for the teamwork that led to the arrests.

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“It is indeed heartening to see the farming community, the security company and the police working together to fight crime,” said Ngobeni. “Such networking and partnering bodes well for the safety of our communities and our continued fight against crime. We encourage and welcome any NGO’s who are willing to be our partners in the fight against crime, as long as we work within the confines of the law.”