HUMANSDORP – Four men accused of robbing a Jeffreys Bay jewellery store of approximately R3 million worth of jewellery appeared in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on 4 August, where the State opposed their release on bail.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the accused are Mfana Fikile Myaka (33), Siphelele Sithole (26), and Bongani Radebe (33), all from Umlazi, Durban, as well as Ayanda Mbangata (36) from Ocean View, Jeffreys Bay.
He said the accused, who were arrested just hours after the armed robbery at Gabriel’s Jewellery Shop in Fountains Mall on 2 August, face provisional charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of ammunition.
According to police spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy, on 2 August, at approximately 10:15, employees and witnesses were inside the business assisting customers when two armed suspects entered.
“The perpetrators drew firearms, threatened the occupants and ordered everyone to lie on the floor. Shortly afterwards additional suspects entered the premises and smashed the glass-display cabinets, looting a large quantity of jewellery with an estimated value of R3 million,” said McCarthy.
He said no shots were fired nor were any injuries reported.
McCarthy said that, following the immediate activation of first responders and the review of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, descriptions of the suspects’ vehicle were swiftly circulated via local security networks and the NAVIC tracking system.
He said members of the Gqeberha Flying Squad acted on the intelligence and spotted a vehicle matching the description travelling at high speed from Jeffreys Bay towards Gqeberha.
McCarthy said they intercepted the vehicle on the N2.
He said a tactical search of the vehicle resulted in the arrest of four suspects.
“Police confiscated a large quantity of jewellery still bearing tags belonging to the jewellery store, one round of AK-47 ammunition and clothing matching the exact description of that worn by the suspects during the robbery.”
Tyali said that during the court proceedings, the court was informed that Myaka has previous convictions for theft dating back to 2012 and 2018; Sithole has a previous conviction for possession of stolen property from 2023; and Radebe has a previous conviction for theft dating back to 2012.
Meanwhile, Mbangata has previous convictions for possession of drugs in 2012 and assault in 2013.
“The matter has been classified as a Schedule 6 offence, and the State, represented by Siyabulela Swartbooi, is opposing bail,” said Tyali.
He said the case was postponed to 11 August for a formal bail application.
The Sarah Baartman District Commissioner, Major General Thandiswa Kupiso, highly commended the operational synergy and rapid response that led to the swift breakthrough.
“This outstanding success underscores the undeniable power of collaborative policing and the strategic deployment of our specialised units. The seamless integration of technology, real-time intelligence sharing with our security partners, and the tactical precision of the Flying Squad ensured that these dangerous criminals were neutralised before they could evade justice,” said Kupiso.
“We have sent a clear warning to criminal syndicates that our highways and communities are heavily policed. The recovery of this multi-million-rand property and the removal of illegal ammunition from our streets is a significant victory in our ongoing war against aggravated robberies.”
ALSO READ: Third suspect jailed for Jeffreys Bay Good Samaritan murder
