The Barberton Magistrate’s Court ordered the deportation of sixteen Mozambican nationals who were intercepted while crossing into South Africa without proper identification.
Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, Mpumalanga spokeswoman for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, widely known as the Hawks, said that the 16 women were sentenced on Tuesday.
“The sentence followed after the accused were arrested on Friday along the N4, next to Kaapmuiden, travelling with two taxis from Mozambique to Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa without permits or passports,” Sekgotodi claimed.
“With the assistance of the Legal Aid, the accused were sentenced to R2,000 or six months imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that the accused are not convicted for similar offence during the period of suspension.”
The court also ordered that the Mozambican nationals, including several with small children, be deported to the neighboring country immediately.
Meanwhile, the case against 15 Mozambican men has been pushed out to August 20 for Legal Aid representation.
“The defendants remain in jail. “The investigation continues,” Sekgotodi stated.
On Monday, HowSouth reported that 41 persons, including two taxi drivers, a bakkie driver, and 38 undocumented Mozambican nationals, appeared at the Barberton Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga.
According to the Hawks, the arrested persons in the group range in age from 17 to 40.
“They were detained at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 8, 2024, in Kaapmuiden. The arrest came after Crime Intelligence (Unit) acquired information about two taxis carrying unauthorized people from Mozambique to Johannesburg,” Sekgotodi added.
“Kaapmuiden SAPS, Local Criminal Record Centre and Border Police followed up on the information, the taxis were spotted, stopped and searched at N4 next to Kaapmuiden Mpumalanga,” she told reporters.
“During the search, a total of 16 women travelling with 10 toddlers, four teenage girls and 15 men were found without proper documentation.”
