ActionSA Welcomes the Arrest of Zimbabwean Nationals for Drug Trafficking in Mkhondo
Press Statement by Thoko Mashiane MPL
ActionSA Member of Mpumalanga Legislature
ActionSA welcomes the arrest and court appearance of two Zimbabwean nationals, Tinashe Chitsamba (40) and Oscar Mutsetemari (45), who were apprehended on 04 December during a stop-and-search operation on the N2 near Mahamba for drug trafficking.
The suspects were found transporting a large quantity of dagga in a truck, a clear indication of involvement in a cross-border trafficking operation rather than small-scale dealing. They have been remanded in custody and will reappear in court on 28 January 2026.
ActionSA commends the swift response by SAPS and the decisive action of the Mkhondo Magistrate’s Court. However, this incident once again exposes a deeply worrying trend in Mpumalanga: foreign nationals entering our province with criminal intentions and operating sophisticated trafficking networks with ease due to poor border management and weak enforcement.
Cross-border criminals are exploiting our porous borders, and communities across Mpumalanga are paying the price. These individuals enter our country unlawfully, undermine public safety, drain limited provincial resources, and use major routes like the N2 to move drugs through our province with alarming confidence. This cannot continue.
ActionSA stands firm that South Africa must be governed by the rule of law. Foreign nationals who enter our borders to commit serious crimes such as drug trafficking must be prosecuted to the fullest extent and, upon conviction, deported back to their countries of origin without delay.
We reiterate our call for:
Stronger border security and proper control of all ports of entry;
Intelligence-driven policing, especially along key trafficking routes like the N2;
Immediate deportation of foreign nationals convicted of crime; and
A coordinated national strategy to dismantle cross-border trafficking syndicates.
ActionSA will continue to fight for the safety and security of Mpumalanga residents and ensure that criminal networks exploiting weak state capacity are confronted with firm, uncompromising action.
ActionSA Welcomes the Arrest of Zimbabwean Nationals for Drug Trafficking in Mkhondo
ActionSA welcomes the arrest and court appearance of two Zimbabwean nationals, Tinashe Chitsamba (40) and Oscar Mutsetemari (45), who were apprehended on 04 December during a stop-and-search operation on the N2 near Mahamba for drug trafficking.
The suspects were found transporting a large quantity of dagga in a truck, a clear indication of involvement in a cross-border trafficking operation rather than small-scale dealing. They have been remanded in custody and will reappear in court on 28 January 2026.
ActionSA commends the swift response by SAPS and the decisive action of the Mkhondo Magistrate’s Court. However, this incident once again exposes a deeply worrying trend in Mpumalanga: foreign nationals entering our province with criminal intentions and operating sophisticated trafficking networks with ease due to poor border management and weak enforcement.
Cross-border criminals are exploiting our porous borders, and communities across Mpumalanga are paying the price. These individuals enter our country unlawfully, undermine public safety, drain limited provincial resources, and use major routes like the N2 to move drugs through our province with alarming confidence. This cannot continue.
ActionSA stands firm that South Africa must be governed by the rule of law. Foreign nationals who enter our borders to commit serious crimes such as drug trafficking must be prosecuted to the fullest extent and, upon conviction, deported back to their countries of origin without delay.
We reiterate our call for:
ActionSA will continue to fight for the safety and security of Mpumalanga residents and ensure that criminal networks exploiting weak state capacity are confronted with firm, uncompromising action.