Igwetshwe iminyaka engu-53 inkunzi yokwebiwa kwezimoto KwaZulu-Natal

Ugwetshwe iminyaka engu-53 ebhadla ejele yinkantolo yeMantshi yaseMtubatuba, uSipho “Smirnoff” Mhlanga, odume ngokubandakanyeka ekuduneni nasekushushumbiseni izimoto eziwela umngcele. Lesi sigwebo sikhombisa ukunqoba okukhulu kwabomthetho empini yabo eqhubekayo yokulwa nobugebengu obuthinta amazwe enyakatho neKwaZulu-Natal.

UMhlanga, 37, waboshwa ngo-Agasti 2023 njengengxenye yomkhankaso owawuhloswe yithimba likazwelonke elijutshwe ukulwa nobugebengu obuwela imingcele. Ukuboshwa kwakhe kube yimpumelelo ekuhlakazweni kwethimba elibhekele ukushushumbisa izimoto eziduniwe nezintshontshiwe zisuka eNingizimu Afrika ziyiswa eMozambique zidlula emingceleni eyahlukene KwaZulu-Natal.

Ngemuva kwezinyanga zophenyo nokuqulwa kwamacala, uMhlanga watholwa enamacala ngoJuni 19 ngamacala amaningi okubalwa kuwo elokubulala, ukuphanga esebenzisa isihluku kanye nokuthumba. Ukulahlwa kwakhe ngamacala kuza phakathi nomkhankaso obanzi osekuboshwe abasolwa abangu-276, abangu-107 basavalelwe amaphoyisa. UBrigadier Athlenda Mathe, okhulumela amaphoyisa, ugcizelele umzamo omkhulu wokuhlenga ohambisana nokuboshwa.

“Kulesi sikhathi, izimoto ezingu-150, iningi labo okungama-SUV kanye ne-4×4, sezitholakele zabuyiselwa kubanikazi bazo,” usho kanje. UMathe uphinde waphawula ngokuthathwa kwezibhamu ezingekho emthethweni ezingaphezu kuka-70, nokugcizelela ukubandakanyeka kweqembu ebugebengwini obuhleliwe ngaphandle kokweba izimoto. Ukuphumelela kwecala likaMhlanga kulandela imphumela efanayo kowayehamba naye uVusi Amos Malwane owagwetshwa iminyaka engu-55.