KWAZULU-NATAL – Nduduzo Ndawonde (28) remained in custody after he appeared in the Pinetown Magistrates court on Thursday, 17 June 2021 facing a charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Ndawonde along with Goodman Gaza (39) were arrested after an intelligence driven operation led by the Durban Serious Organised Crime and POP Tracing Team on Monday 14 June 2021. He was initially investigated for his alleged links to an incident that took place on Wednesday, 09 June 2021 where armed suspects entered the Mayville Post office and reportedly held the staff at gun point as they forced them to open the safe.
The arrest led the joint team to Ndawonde’s residence in Pinetown, two pistols, a rifle and a police radio was recovered at his residence. A rifle and one of the pistols were allegedly linked to a cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery that took place in Plessislaer in June 2021.
It is alleged that the armoured vehicle from Fidelity arrived at Mabane Community Hall carrying the SASSA grant payments. Upon disembarking from their vehicles, the security officers were accosted by several suspects forced them to lie down on the floor, robbed them of their firearms and fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.
The case against Ndawonde was postponed to the 24 June 2021, for a formal bail application. Whilst his alleged accomplice, Goodman Gaza appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. He is expected to be back in the same court on the 22 June 2021.
Following the firearms allegedly found at Ndawonde’s residence linked to the CIT heist, he was additionally charged for cash-in-transit robbery upon his court appearance today. He is expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court tomorrow to face the CIT related charges.
