By Staff Reporter
POLOKWANE– In a significant breakthrough, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Border Policing High-Density Team successfully apprehended a fugitive who had escaped from the Maputo Maximum Prison during the widespread unrests that occurred in December 2024.
Nelson Simiao Massango, one of over 1500 prisoners who escaped during the turmoil, was captured in Sandton, Gauteng.
Massango, a convicted murderer sentenced to 20 years in 2015, had been on the run since his escape.
The SAPS Border Policing High-Density Team has been diligently working to track and locate fugitives who may have crossed into South Africa, and their efforts bore fruit with Massango’s capture.
The fugitive was arrested at a car hire dealership in Sandton, where he was reportedly involved in a scheme to steal and smuggle 4×4 vehicles into Mozambique. Investigations suggest that Massango would rent these vehicles, drive them across the border into Mozambique, and sell them there.
This activity has reportedly led to a series of motor vehicle thefts in Gauteng, and further inquiries are underway to determine the full extent of his involvement in these crimes.
INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) Pretoria is in contact with its counterpart in Maputo to share information and updates on Massango’s capture. Authorities are now working together to piece together his movements and criminal activities.
General Fannie Masemola, National Commissioner of the SAPS, praised the efforts of the Border Policing High-Density Team in apprehending the fugitive, emphasizing that South Africa will not be a safe haven for criminals.
His statement serves as a stern warning to those who think they can escape justice and find refuge within South Africa’s borders.
