{"id":299405,"date":"2026-03-25T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/districtmailhelderberg\/?p=299405"},"modified":"2026-03-25T08:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T06:35:32","slug":"armed-robbers-get-time-as-trio-sentenced-to-45-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/districtmailhelderberg\/armed-robbers-get-time-as-trio-sentenced-to-45-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Armed robbers get time as trio sentenced to 45 years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Three armed robbers are behind bars for a combined 45 years thanks to thorough investigations by local detectives.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Lwandle men were the first to face justice. On 18 October 2023, Anga Jafta and Thembelani Mayekiso, along with accomplices, robbed a victim in Siyabonga Street around 16:15. The two pointing a firearm at the victim and took all his belongings, including his cellphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The victim reported the crime to Lwandle police the following day and accompanied officers to Jafta’s home, where he was arrested. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was found in possession of the phone, but he was unable to give a satisfactory explanation.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detective Sergeant Mfundo Soyiyo’s thorough investigation linked Mayekiso to the case, which eventually led to his arrest as well.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Strand Magistrates’ Court found both men guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances on Tuesday 3 March, and sentenced each to 15 years’ imprisonment. They have been deemed unfit to possess firearms.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two weeks later, the third conviction followed. Ralston Geldenhuys, a Strand resident, was found guilty of a New Year’s Day robbery in Gordon’s Bay.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 1 January last year, Geldenhuys approached a woman in Disa Road while she was walking to a local supermarket at 15:30. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He robbed her using an imitation firearm, taking her handbag containing her cellphone, wallet, vehicle keys and house keys.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The victim alerted Gordon’s Bay police, with sergeants Trevor Felix and Craven Baba immediately responding. Geldenhuys was arrested while attempting to flee across a pathway from Disa Road into Dennehof Road.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detective Sergeant Willenecia Spogter’s investigation led to him being found guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances in the Strand Regional Court on Tuesday 17 March. He received a 15-year sentence.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
Sgt Trevor Felix, Sgt Craven Baba and Detective Sgt Willenecia Spogter (middle), whose teamwork secured Ralston Geldenhuys’s 15-year sentence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lieutenant-Colonel Mlamli Voyiya, Lwandle station commander, and Captain Adr\u00e9 Delport, Gordon’s Bay station commander, commended their investigating officers for pursuing justice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Excellent detective work by Helderberg officers has resulted in three armed robbers being sentenced to 45 years combined 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Sgt Mfundo Soyiyo, the lead investigator whose thorough work secured guilty verdicts against Anga Jafta and Thembelani Mayekiso.","article_media_icon":"1","article_template":"news","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"Armed robbers get 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