Successful strategy to recover the hijacked Elias Motsoaledi grader

A grader belonging to the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality in Limpopo was hijacked and its operator assaulted during a service delivery operation in Dennilton. The heavy machinery was later found abandoned in Soshanguve, Gauteng, with investigations currently underway to identify the perpetrators.

Key details of the incident

• What happened: A grader owned by Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality was hijacked.
• When: The incident occurred on Thursday morning, with the grader being recovered later that evening. Specifically, the hijacking took place around 11:40 AM, and the grader was recovered around 9:44 PM.
• Where: The hijacking happened during a service delivery operation in Dennilton, Limpopo. The grader was later recovered abandoned in Khalabatla, Soshanguve, Gauteng.
• Who was involved: An unidentified employee of the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality was assaulted by armed suspects.
• How it happened: Heavily armed, unidentified suspects approached the municipal employee, physically assaulted him, and then forcibly took control of the grader.
• Current status: The grader has been recovered. Investigations are ongoing to understand how it was transported and to identify the suspects. No arrests have been made yet.

A full summary of the story

A serious incident of hijacking and assault occurred when a grader, property of the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, was stolen from an employee who was carrying out service delivery duties in Dennilton, Limpopo. The attack happened on a Thursday morning, around 11:40 AM. The employee reported that several armed individuals approached him, subjected him to a physical assault, and then took the grader by force. Fortunately, the municipality’s grader was recovered later that same day, around 9:44 PM. It was found abandoned in Khalabatla, Soshanguve, in the Gauteng province. The Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality has confirmed that they are conducting investigations into the matter. Their focus is on figuring out how the large piece of equipment was transported from the scene of the hijacking to where it was found, and importantly, to identify the individuals responsible for the crime. As of now, no arrests have been made.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What exactly was stolen?

  A grader belonging to the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality was hijacked.

• When did the hijacking happen and when was the grader found?

  The hijacking occurred on Thursday morning around 11:40 AM, and the grader was recovered on the same day around 9:44 PM.

• Where did the incident take place?

  The hijacking happened in Dennilton, Limpopo, while the grader was later recovered in Soshanguve, Gauteng.

• Was anyone injured during the incident?

  Yes, the municipal employee operating the grader was physically assaulted by the suspects.

• Have the suspects been caught?

  No, at this stage, no arrests have been made, and the municipality is investigating to identify them.

• What is the municipality doing about this?

  The Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality is investigating how the grader was transported and working to identify the suspects.

For more details on this incident, you can view the original report on X here. For more news like this, visit cityofthohoyandou.co.za/category/news/.