The 1 SA Tank Regiment, the heavy metal operators in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) armour formation, are proving as adept at intercepting smugglers and vehicle thieves as they are in manoeuvring their 55-tonne-plus Olifant main battle tanks.
Elements of the Tempe, Bloemfontein-based unit are currently part of Lt-Gen Lawrence Mbatha’s commitment to the ongoing SANDF border protection tasking Operation Corona. Patrolling an area of responsibility (AoR) allocated by joint tactical headquarters, Limpopo, the tankers, on foot and in much-travelled Toyota Land Cruisers, notched up significant busts in February and early March.
Acting on intelligence, 1 SA Tank Regiment personnel on the Limpopo/Zimbabwe border targeted a farm off the R572 last month. Intelligence proved spot-on with a haul of two Ford Rangers and a Toyota Hilux D4D carrying more than R2.5m worth of illicit cigarettes. The vehicles were valued at R1.1m. One suspect was apprehended, and another managed to flee.
Another 1 SA Tank Regiment stick patrolling south of the Beitbridge port of entry (PoE) added to the unit’s “brag board” when stopping and confiscating a Toyota Fortuner (valued at R250,000) laden with just under R500,000 worth of illicit cigarettes.
On February 8 the regiment members saw a Toyota Land Cruiser attempting to cross the Limpopo River. After seeing the South African soldiers, the occupants fled the scene, leaving the vehicle stuck in the river. It was guarded by soldiers until it could be recovered on February 17. Upon further investigation it was discovered to have been stolen from Boksburg on February 6, Capt Moses Semono reported.
A Fortuner valued at R539,900 was also confiscated at Gumbu on the border of South Africa/Zimbabwe. Both vehicles were handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS).
While the SANDF is short of the 22 companies required for border patrol (it has just 15 at present), last month’s defence budget indicated the South African army will be getting new vehicles and technology for border safeguarding
At the Beitbridge PoE, soldiers confiscated an abandoned bag which was found containing a 9mm Retax-X-Pro pistol.
Over the weekend, 1 SA Tank Regiment continued to notch up successes in Limpopo, recovering a Ford Ranger Raptor valued at around R1m, which was reported stolen in Springs last year. It was handed over to the SAPS at Tshamutumbu police station.
A Ranger worth R600,000 was also recovered after being stolen earlier this year. Semono reported that the regiment soldiers also recovered nine goats valued at R17,100 that were stolen from Zimbabwe, with one suspect arrested.
Soldiers further confiscated illicit cigarettes worth R 699,264 along the border. Following the recent successes, the officer commanding joint tactical headquarters Limpopo, Col Dikgabane Herold Tladi, commended the members for the job well done.
Meanwhile, members of 10 SA Infantry (SAI) Battalion, about 700km south, doing the hard yards along the Free State/Lesotho border, teamed up with local police based at the Tseseng police station for a sweep in the QwaQwa AoR. In addition to netting an unlicensed firearm and arresting people in possession of what Cpl B Mothibi reports as being “dangerous weapons”, the sweep saw an SANDF uniform confiscated because the suspect was not authorised to have or wear it.
So far, 2026 has been a busy one for soldiers on border patrol. January statistics from joint operations indicate that soldiers:
- seized nearly R17m worth of contraband;
- apprehended more than 1,000 undocumented immigrants;
- detained 80 criminals;
- seized R2.5m worth of drugs; and
- recovered R2.7m worth of stolen vehicles.
Other January successes include seizing:
- R290,000 worth of boats; and
- R3.5m worth of livestock.
While the SANDF is short of the 22 companies required for border patrol (it has just 15 at present), last month’s defence budget indicated the South African army will be getting new vehicles and technology for border safeguarding. These force multipliers are “expected to increase the range of the borderline under protection and help prevent illegal border crossings, smuggling and other activities that could compromise national security”.
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