DRUG DEALER SENTENCED AND FORFEITS PROCEEDS OF HIS CRIMES TO THE STATE

19 SEPTEMBER 2025

DRUG DEALER SENTENCED AND FORFEITS PROCEEDS OF HIS CRIMES TO THE STATE

George, South Africa, The George Regional Court has sentenced drug dealer, Alfred Ndindwa, to an effective ten-year direct imprisonment and forfeited more than R11 000 in cash as well as the vehicle he drove when he was stopped by police while transporting thousands of mandrax tablets in 2016. Police arrested the 54-year-old father of two on the N9 Waboomskraal near George on 25 December 2016, driving a panel van from Johannesburg towards George with 75 894 mandrax tablets with an estimated value of R3, 75 million.

The arrest came after police stopped the vehicle and requested to search it. Police discovered packets containing the mandrax tablets in a hidden compartment of the vehicle. The State charged him with dealing in drugs and money laundering. He appeared in court, and the court set bail at R200 000 bail which he paid. He absconded and forfeited the bail money to the State. He was later re-arrested and entered a plea and sentencing agreement with the State on 12 September 2025.

Regional Court Prosecutor Adv Johannes Marx, as part of an argument for a sentence fitting the crime, submitted the accused’s criminal record, which revealed that a court sentenced him to five years' direct imprisonment suspended for five years following his conviction for dealing in drugs on 12 December 2018. Conditions attached to the suspended sentence were that he must not be convicted and sentenced to direct imprisonment without the option of a fine for any contravention of the Drug and Drug Trafficking Act 140/1992 committed during the period of the suspended sentence.

The court ordered him to pay R600 000 into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA), pay a fine of R200 000 on the day, the drugs and the bakkie he was driving were forfeited to the State. Adv Marx argued that it was in the interest of the community that perpetrators of crimes, such as the ones committed by the accused, are prosecuted and appropriately punished and that a clear message must be sent to the community that perpetrators can expect heavy sentences if such offences are committed. The accused committed a similar offence of dealing in drugs after being released on bail on the George matter.

The court convicted and sentenced him to 15 years' direct imprisonment with five years suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of dealing in drugs or possession of drugs, or money laundering committed during the period of suspension. He forfeited R11 884 in cash and a white panel van to the State, which he drove, transporting the drugs. This came following the NPA’s high court preservation order application. The order for forfeiture of the assets was finalised on 30 July 2024.

The NPA welcomes the sentence and recommits itself to working hard to ensure those involved in drug dealing are convicted and sentenced, as drugs have a devastating impact on communities.

Issued by:

Eric Ntabazalila

National Prosecuting Authority

Regional Communications Manager

Western Cape

Tel: (021) 487 7308

Mobile: 073 062 1222