LIMPOPO — A 46-year-old woman, identified as Witty Morategi Malikana, has been remanded in custody following the seizure of 196kg of dagga by Limpopo police. Malikana appeared before the Kgapane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 18 September 2026, facing charges of dealing in dagga. The matter was officially postponed to 22 September 2026 to allow for further police investigations.
The arrest stems from a coordinated, multidisciplinary operation involving the Mopani Tracking Team and various supporting law enforcement agencies. The intervention was initiated after authorities at the E2 Border received intelligence regarding a suspicious maroon Toyota Hilux 2.8 traveling along the R36 route toward Tzaneen.
On Thursday, 17 September 2026, at approximately 12:00, police were alerted to the vehicle’s movements. By 13:15, members of the Mopani Tracking Team identified a vehicle matching the description shortly after it passed Mokgoba Village. Law enforcement officers successfully intercepted and stopped the vehicle for a routine inspection in the Modjadjiskloof area.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed 19 compressed bags of dagga concealed within. The driver, Malikana, was immediately arrested on charges of dealing in dagga. The recovered narcotics were weighed, totaling 196.905 kilograms, with an estimated street value of R108,350.00. The dagga, the vehicle, and associated cellular phones were officially seized as evidence for the ongoing case.
The successful operation was executed by the Mopani Tracking Team, with critical support from Modjadjiskloof Visible Policing, the Highway Patrol (HNW), Hoshani Security, and the K9 Anti-Hijacking Unit.
Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, commended the officers involved in the operation. He highlighted the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking and related crimes across the province.
Police investigations into the matter remain ongoing.
