Durban – The SANDF’s 121 South African Infantry Battalion has recorded a string of successes during Operation Corona.
The battalion’s tactical headquarters is deployed on the South African and Lesotho border to avert cross-border crimes.
Lieutenant VJ Fuzani said that the battalion recorded significant successes over the five-week period from December 15 last year to January 20 this year. These successes included apprehending undocumented persons, recovery stolen livestock, vehicles and illegal firearms, and confiscating contraband and narcotics.
The deployment crossed over into the festive season, which is generally one of the prime times of criminal activities in the year.
Fuzani said that during the festive season, a high number of immigrants moved from South Africa to Lesotho, and in January there was a high influx of both legal and illegal immigrants moving from Lesotho to South Africa. Criminal activities were also on the rise during that period.
To curb all the illegal activities, soldiers were involved in joint operations with the different security clusters.
Fuzani said that to mitigate the escalating crime during the festive season, joint operations and Independent military operations were intensified.
“These operations yielded major successes, such as the arrest of 3 028 undocumented persons, one 81mm mortar smoke bomb and one 7.62mm round discovered including a recovered one Citi Golf.
“Furthermore, two vehicles with trailers were impounded for transporting stolen livestock. Fines amounting to R190 760 were issued for various offences, including the Road Traffic Offence Act, and transporting animals without a permit, among other offences,” Fuzani continued.
“Drugs (crystal meth and dagga) worth R19 100 were confiscated. Illicit cartons of cigarettes estimated to be worth R550 000 were also confiscated, and the truck that was transporting the cigarettes was impounded.
“In addition, 13 cattle, 74 sheep and 13 goats were recovered,” Fuzani said.
Fuzani said the following successes worth mentioning – that occurred over and from the beginning of deployment to date September 15 last year to January 20 this year – include the arrest of 3 372 undocumented persons and the impounding of 461 cattle, 588 sheep and 16 goats.
“Some selected numbers of the impounded livestock had been illegally grazing in South Africa. In addition, five stolen vehicles (one Citi Golf, two Polos, one BMW, one Isuzu double cab) were recovered. Impounded were two bakkies (Isuzu and Nissan NP300), two trailers, one truck and two sedans (Toyota Verso and Toyota Corolla) for transporting illicit goods and suspected stolen livestock. Drugs worth R781 131 (dagga worth R751 275 and narcotics worth R29 856). Six illegal firearms and 59 rounds of different calibres were also recovered,” Fuzani said.
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