While not border protection as per the Operation Corona mandate, the actions of anti-aircraft gunners currently tasked with this duty who recovered an expensive bakkie stolen from a Madimbo village added considerably to the winning hearts and minds concept.
The bakkie, a Toyota Hilux valued at R370 000, was reportedly stolen from Madimbo village in the area of operations assigned to 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment by Joint Tactical Headquarters Limpopo, as ordered by the Joint Operations Division of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).
A section of the Kimberley-based “cloud shooters,” presently armed with R4 and R5 assault rifles as opposed to their normal 35 mm twin anti-aircraft guns, doing a foot patrol on the banks of the Limpopo River came across the bakkie, abandoned in a thicket.
Military police were notified and they, along with police, were soon on the scene with the vehicle towed away for further processing, Captain Moses Semono reported.
Another section of anti-air gunners found themselves in proper border protection mode at the support base west of the Beitbridge port of entry (PoE). Always on the alert, they investigated a suspicious vehicle and were proven correct with confiscation of R12 123 worth of undeclared liquor, apparently en route to Zimbabwe, as well as detaining and handing three “undocumented persons” to police and Department of Home Affairs (DHA) officials.
