Police members from Kwazulu Natal and personnel from tracking company Netstar had a lucky escape while pursuing suspects in two stolen vehicles towards the Mozambique border post this week.
SANDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga, says soldiers opened fire on their vehicles as they sped towards the border post, an apparent illegal crossing known as Gate No.6.
Mabanga says the soldiers first opened fire on a truck and bakkie which sped across the border from Kwazulu Natal into Mozambique, ignoring orders to stop.
He says the occupants of the truck fled while the occupants of the bakkie, stolen from the Department of Water Affairs in KZN, abandoned the vehicle and fled back into South Africa.
Mabanga says while on the scene, two other vehicles came speeding towards the border post, prompting soldiers to open fire.
He told Algoa FM News that soldiers in the operational area were not able to immediately identify their speeding vehicles.
"When the SANDF members tried to signal the vehicles to stop they could not even stop. They then tried to stop them by shooting at the vehicle which deflated the tyre. The vehicle subsequently stopped" he said
