Two men, aged 35 and 36, are in police custody following an armed robbery of a courier delivery vehicle in the Giyani policing area on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.
The incident unfolded around 10:20 after the victims—a 39-year-old male driver and his colleague—completed a parcel delivery at Shimange Village. While en route to Giyani town and preparing to merge onto the R81 road, their Isuzu bakkie was allegedly intercepted by a silver Volkswagen Polo bearing no registration plates. Five unknown male suspects occupied the Polo.
According to the police docket, four suspects exited the Polo. Two brandished firearms and ordered the driver to halt. The remaining two entered the delivery vehicle, seized control of the driver and passenger seats, and forced the two courier employees to sit in the middle section.
The suspects then allegedly drove the victims to a secluded area near Basani Village, with the VW Polo following closely. There, the victims were compelled to open the bakkie’s canopy. Multiple parcels were offloaded and transferred into the suspect vehicle. Among the stolen goods were cellphones, medication, electrical appliances, and assorted parcels, with a total estimated value of R20,000.00.
After the theft, the suspects forced the two victims into the locked loading compartment of the Isuzu bakkie and fled in the VW Polo. The victims managed to call for assistance, and an unidentified passerby broke the padlock to free them. The robbery was subsequently reported to the South African Police Service and the courier company.
The Mopani Tracking Team was promptly activated and given details of the suspect vehicle and its direction of travel. Acting on this intelligence, officers intercepted the silver VW Polo at Mavele Village. Upon interception, three suspects jumped from the vehicle and escaped on foot. The two remaining suspects—males aged 35 and 36—were arrested and found in possession of items reasonably suspected to be linked to the robbery.
Police confiscated the VW Polo and recovered items for further forensic examination. The Isuzu delivery bakkie was recovered at the original incident scene. While no injuries were reported, police confirmed that shots were allegedly fired during the confrontation.
A case of possession of suspected stolen property has been registered. The two arrested suspects are scheduled to appear before the Ritavi Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 29 May 2026.
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