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 Mbathas 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.
