Thabang Mahlaba and Katiso Lepotla briefly appeared before the local Magistrates court today on charges of using a vehicle without authorization, three counts of illegal possession of firearms and robbery. 

One of the suspects was earlier caught in a BMW X5, with no registration along Nelson Mandela Drive in Bloemfontein. In the vehicle police also found an R5 rifle, a pistol, rifle magazines, and an undisclosed amount of cash, all apparently related to the heist. 

The vehicle allegedly belonged to the Free State ANC's deputy chairperson, William Bulwane. 

The ANC in the province has however distanced themselves from the incident, and say there is no relationship between the incidents and Bulwane. Bulwane has also since opened a case against the panel beater who was arrested in his vehicle. 

The suspects will remain in custody.

The spokesperson for the ANC in the province, Thabo Meeko, earlier told OFM News that Bulwane took his car for repairs to a panel-beater, following an unrelated accident in May. 

The same vehicle was stopped in the city after Wednesday’s heist, with no registration plates on the car.

OFM News