Durban: Two Durban businesses were fined this week after pleading guilty to receiving stolen goods and failing to register as a motor vehicle builder.
Natasha Kara, from the National Prosecuting Authority, said Wind Motors and South x South 29 (Pty) Ltd pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property and one of failing to register as a motor vehicle builder.
The Durban Regional Court sentenced them to a collective fine of R150 000.
According to Kara, Wind Motors is a dealer in second-hand motor vehicle parts, building and modifying vehicles for the purposes of sale while South x South 29 Ltd is an export company.
“In December 2018, a container packed at Wind Motors was transported to the Durban Harbour for shipment to Mauritius.
“The SAPS received information that there were illicit goods in the container and it was stopped. The search revealed that the motor vehicle parts in the container were linked to theft, robbery and fraud cases from the Durban area.
“Further investigations revealed that Wind Motors (being a builder and modifier of vehicles and selling same) was conducting business without relevant registration from the Department of Transport,” said Kara.
She said during court proceedings it was revealed that South x South 29 had received a stolen motor vehicle from a business associate.
“The court fined them R280 000 fine, half of which was suspended for the two counts of receiving stolen property and R10 000 for failing to register as motor vehicle builder, thus resulting in the effective fine of R150 000.”
Regional Court Prosecutor, Vishalan Moodley, told the court that the case sent out a warning to the auto-building and spare parts industry to ensure high levels of ethics and governance in their businesses.
Kara said the conviction for failing to register as a motor vehicle builder was the first conviction of its kind in KwaZulu-Natal.
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