18:T641,

More needs to be done to tighten SA borders and ensure that cross-border crime remains under control. This is the view shared by anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee, following the arrest of a known Mozambican criminal and prison escapee, Nelson Simiao Massango.

His re-arrest at a Sandton car dealership this week has once again cast the spotlight on cross-border crime and South Africa's porous borders.

Massango is one of the more than 1 500 prisoners who escaped from the Maputo Maximum Prison on Christmas Day 2024. At the time, his native country faced political and social unrest following the recent elections.

According to reports, he was convicted of murder in 2015 and sentenced to at least 20 years in prison.

Massango, who is being investigated for several cases of car theft in Gauteng, allegedly rented 4x4 bakkies and smuggled them into Mozambique to have them sold.

In a statement, national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe revealed that the SAPS Border Policing High-Density Team has been hard at work in ensuring they track and trace those who may have made their way into South Africa.

"The suspected fugitive of justice was arrested at a car hire dealership in Sandton. Upon further investigation, he is being investigated and may be linked to several cases of theft of motor vehicles in Gauteng, where he would rent 4x4 bakkies, smuggle them over into Mozambique, and have them sold in that country. INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) Pretoria is engaging INTERPOL NCB Maputo on the latest developments," Mathe said.

19:T614,More needs to be done to tighten SA borders and ensure that cross-border crime remains under control. This is the view shared by anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee, following the arrest of a known Mozambican criminal and prison escapee, Nelson Simiao Massango. His re-arrest at a Sandton car dealership this week has once again cast the spotlight on cross-border crime and South Africa's porous borders. Massango is one of the mo

#bma

Mozambican prison escapee's Sandton arrest exposes SA border security flaws