Suspects Flee Into Zimbabwe After Gunfire in Stolen Navara Chase
Limpopo police recovered a stolen Nissan Navara after armed suspects exchanged gunfire with police officers before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing into Zimbabwe.
Delicious Mathuthu 
Musina, South Africa — Limpopo police have recovered a suspected stolen Nissan Navara after armed suspects opened fire on officers during a high-speed pursuit and escaped across the border into Zimbabwe.
The incident happened last Saturday, August 15, 2026, when members of the Beitbridge Task Team patrolling the N1, the border area and Musina policing precinct, spotted a white Nissan Navara speeding along Malala Drift Road towards the Limpopo River.
In a recent statement, South African Police Services (SAPS) said police immediately gave chase, with support from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), as the vehicle headed towards the border.
The suspects reached the Limpopo River and attempted to cross into Zimbabwe.
SAPS say the suspects then opened fire on pursuing officers, who returned fire.
Additional Beitbridge police members were deployed to reinforce the operation.
The suspects eventually abandoned the Navara on the Zimbabwean side of the riverbank and fled into Zimbabwe.
SAPS said its officers crossed the river despite the difficult terrain and recovered the vehicle.
No police officers were injured during the exchange of gunfire, SAPS said
Preliminary investigations established that the Nissan Navara had been reported stolen in Brooklyn, Gauteng, earlier this month.
The vehicle was seized and will undergo further investigation as police work to establish the circumstances surrounding its theft and attempted cross-border movement.
The suspects remain at large, prompting a manhunt involving South African law enforcement authorities.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Jan Scheepers, commended the officers involved, describing their response as an example of vigilance in combating cross-border crime.
“Our borders must never become escape routes for criminals,” Scheepers said.
He said police would continue working with the SANDF and other law enforcement agencies to disrupt the movement of stolen vehicles and other illicit goods across the country's borders.
The investigation and manhunt are continuing, SAPS said.
