The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has recovered a Ford Everest XLT valued at around R940 000 from the Limpopo River.
This follows a high-stakes joint operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Border Police Reaction Team, where the vehicle was discovered after driving straight into the turbulent Limpopo River on January 5.
SANDF spokesperson Captain Moses Semono explained that SAPS officers, conducting routine crime-combat operations near the Musina border, first spotted the vehicle plunging into the fast-flowing river.
“They immediately reached out to our soldiers stationed at Malala Road conducting Vehicle Control Point operations for backup,” Semono said.
Due to the late hour and poor visibility on the evening of 5 January, the joint recovery operation was postponed until the following morning. The scene was carefully guarded overnight to prevent tampering or further incidents.
Semono revealed that on 6 January, the vehicle was successfully retrieved with the assistance of a civilian recovery company. It was taken to the SAPS impound yard, where investigations confirmed that the Ford Everest XLT had been reported stolen on 31 December 2025 in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. Authorities also discovered that the vehicle’s registration number was falsified.
“Upon circulation, it was discovered that the vehicle was reported stolen on the 31st of December 2025 in Bela-Bela in Limpopo and the registration on the vehicle is a false one,” Semono added.
The Officer Commanding Joint Tactical Headquarters Limpopo, Colonel Dikgabane Herold Tladi, commended the SANDF and SAPS members for their swift and professional response, praising the operation as a “job well done” in combating cross-border vehicle theft.
The Star