Kwakhona, abathengisi be-abalone abangekho semthethweni baye baphinda bafumana enye inkathazo xa amalungu esipolisa Cookhouse Highway Patrol ayengekho emsebenzini athimbe amadoda amabini aze athimba i-abalone exabisa ngaphezu kwezigidi ezithathu zeerandi (R3 million).
Kutyholwa ukuba ngoMvulo ngomhla weshumi elinesithathu kweyeSilimela, malunga nentsimbi yeshumi elinanye (23:00) ebusuku, amalungu afumene kwaye alandelela ulwazi malunga neemoto ezikrokrelekayo ezihamba ku-N10 ukusuka eGqeberha ukuya eCookhouse.
Isantya esiphezulu sileqa phakathi kweveni iNissan Navara kunye namapolisa ku-N10 osingise eCradock usuka eCookhouse. Amalungu aphumelele ukuvala isithuthi phakathi kweCradock neCookhouse.
Ekusetshweni kwesithuthi, iingxowa ezilishumi elinesixhenxe (17) ezineeyunithi ezingama-6699 ze-abalone zafunyanwa zifihlwe phantsi kwengubo. Amadoda amabini aneminyaka engamashumi amathathu (30) kunye naminyaka engamashumi amane (40) ubudala aye abanjwa kwaye avalelwa ngokoMthetho we-Marine Living Resource Act-ukuphathwa kunye nokuthuthwa kwe-abalone. Ixabiso lesitalato eliqikelelweyo le-abalone lishumi elinesithathu lezigidi nekhulu lamawaka (R3,100 000).
Abarhanelwa kulindeleke ukuba bavele enkundleni kungekudala.
Umkomishinala weSithili saseSarah Baartman, uMaj Gen Zolani Xawuka ukuqhwabele izandla ukuzinikela kwamalungu. “Kubonakala ngathi izaphuli-mthetho azizithobeli izilumkiso zethu. Kufuneka bazi ukuba asizukuthandabuza ukubabamba xa befunyenwe besebenzisa iindlela zethu ukuthutha impahla engekho mthethweni. Kwinyanga ephelileyo, abarhanelwa ababini nabo babanjwa ne-abalone engekho mthethweni exabisa izigidi ezithathu zeerandi. Siza kuqhubekeka ukuqinisa amandla ethu kwaba baphuli-mthetho,”wongeze watsho uMaj Gen Xawuka.