The Pretoria High Court has granted a preservation order amounting to R105,800 in cash, along with two vehicles, in connection with a high-profile case involving stolen goods and drug trafficking.
The order was issued on 10 June 2025, following an investigation into suspected criminal activities related to possession of stolen property and violations of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act (Act 140 of 1992).
Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela, spokesperson for the Hawks, stated: “The investigation began on 17 April 2025, when members of the Germiston Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) team received intelligence about suspects traveling in two vehicles loaded with suspected stolen items. Acting on this information, law enforcement, in collaboration with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and private security firm Monitor Net Security Officers, conducted an operation in Norkem Park, Kempton Park.”
He added that during the operation, officers spotted a white Toyota bakkie and a grey Mazda bakkie. With permission to search the vehicles, officers uncovered over 430 boxes of lithium batteries. The suspects present at the scene were unable to produce documentation proving ownership of the goods.
“Further investigations led officers to a nearby house in Norkem Park, where they found Gloria Sibanda, who granted permission to search the property. The search revealed additional lithium batteries, solar panels, and more than 400 boxes containing controlled substances including pethidine, fentanyl, ketamine, and morphine. The police also seized R105,800 in cash and the two vehicles involved in the crime,” Warrant Officer Mavimbela explained.
He further stated that the four suspects—Roberto Arnaldo Tchuma, Arnaldo Alexander Nhanchengo, Norde Dan Khoza, and Gloria Sibanda—appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on 22 April 2025. Their case was postponed to 30 April 2025, and each was granted bail of R10,000.
The case was subsequently referred to the Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) unit for asset forfeiture proceedings. This process culminated in the court granting a preservation order for the seized assets. The suspects are scheduled to return to court on 8 July 2025.
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