logo
Nowhere to hide for high-profile criminals

Nowhere to hide for high-profile criminals

The Citizen11-05-2025
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) has made significant inroads in apprehending individuals involved in high-profile cases, ensuring accountability and justice for victims.
This is according to DPCI head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, who briefed media on Thursday on the successes and progress made with regard to high-profile cases in the fourth quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
He said the DPCI remains committed to its mandate of investigating, preventing and combating national priority offences without fear, favour or prejudice.
A total of 656 suspects appeared before the various courts in the country during the fourth quarter. Of these arrests, 450 (74%) are South African, whereas 157 (26%) are foreign nationals.
'Of the 656 suspects, the Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) secured 364, the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI) secured 220, while the Serious Corruption Investigation (SCI) secured 72 suspects before court,' Lebeya said.
He said most of the arrests were effected in Gauteng with 139, North West with 99, KZN with 88, and the Eastern Cape and Free State with 73 suspects each.
'During these arrests, 395 firearms and 1 746 rounds of ammunition were seized. Seven clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled with drugs worth a total street value of R23 361 125.
'During this same period, the directorate secured convictions for 239 accused persons. A total of 266 (253 natural and 13 juristic) accused persons, including those convicted in the previous quarters, were sentenced during the quarter under review.
'Of the 253 sentenced natural persons, 139 (55%) are South Africans, while 114 (45%) are foreign nationals. Most of these convictions and sentences were secured in Gauteng,' Lebeya said.
He says of these convictions, SOCI secured 157, SCCI secured 73 and SCI secured nine.
'To ensure that crime does not pay, the Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) has contributed towards the issuing of a combined 102 freezing and forfeiture orders amounting to R418 938 340.14.
'Of these orders, 56 were preservation orders with a monetary value of R370 952 439.49, with 45 forfeiture orders with a monetary value of R14 985 900.65 and one restraint order with a monetary value of R33 000 000,' he said.
Lebeya said an amount of R19 104 419.50 has been deposited into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account.
The Digital Forensic Investigation Section of the PCSI component of the DPCI finalised the extraction and analysis of data evidence from 324 electronic devices within 90 days during the quarter.
Attacks on police
Touching on police murders by criminals, Lebeya said an attack on police officials was an assault on society and an attack on the state.
'We categorised the killing of police officials as that national priority offence that requires the attention of the DPCI,' Lebeya said.
During this period, 22 police officials were murdered, of which 16 were off duty while six were on duty. He said 50% of these murders happened in Gauteng.
With regards to cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies, Lebeya said during the fourth quarter, 50 incidents of CIT robberies were received by the directorate.
'A total number of 28 suspects, excluding 10 who died in exchange of gunfire with the police, were arrested. It is comforting that no one was released on bail.
'Over and above this, 36 suspects were arrested in CIT-related cases, making a combined number of 64 arrests for CIT and related crime,' Lebeya said. – SAnews.gov.za
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cybersecurity firm warns of ‘costly epidemic' as ransomware cripples SA firms
Cybersecurity firm warns of ‘costly epidemic' as ransomware cripples SA firms

The Citizen

time23 minutes ago

  • The Citizen

Cybersecurity firm warns of ‘costly epidemic' as ransomware cripples SA firms

Bloemfontein-based cybersecurity firm Tanosec has issued a warning to South African businesses amid a 'dramatic surge' in ransomware demands and payments. The firm says this underscores a growing national security crisis. Bloemfontein Courant reports that, according to the Sophos State of Ransomware in South Africa Report 2025, the median ransom demanded in South Africa has increased significantly – from R2.9m in 2024 to R17m in 2025 – while median payments have also tripled, reaching R8m. The Sophos report also indicates that 60% of ransomware attacks in South Africa result in data encryption, a number that surpasses the global average. 'The numbers are alarming and serve as a stark wake-up call for every business operating in South Africa,' says Lawrence Lackey of Tanosec. 'Ransomware is no longer a distant threat; it's a present and costly epidemic that can cripple operations, tarnish reputations and impose immense financial and emotional strain on organisations and their employees.' The firm adds that compromised credentials, exploited vulnerabilities and malicious emails are the primary entry points for these sophisticated attacks. Beyond the ransom fee, the cost of an attack can be drastic, with an average recovery bill of R23m, alongside significant operational disruptions and reputational damage. Tanosec explains that only half of South African companies manage to recover within a week of a ransomware attack, indicating widespread unpreparedness. 'While the ransomware landscape is challenging, businesses can significantly reduce their risk with the right strategies and a trusted cybersecurity partner,' adds Lackey. As businesses grapple with the rising tide of sophisticated cyber threats like ransomware, individual consumers are also increasingly vulnerable to highly organised fraudsters. Investigative journalist Irma Green recently shared her own startling experience of being duped by a banking scam, highlighting how convincing these criminals can be – even to a seasoned professional. You can read her full account of how she was targeted and share your experiences here. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

Why so many of Cape Town's street lights don't work
Why so many of Cape Town's street lights don't work

The South African

time4 hours ago

  • The South African

Why so many of Cape Town's street lights don't work

While Cape Town is often recognised for having better service delivery than other South African cities, a common frustration persists for many residents: non-functioning street lights. Between 26 May and 25 June 2025, the City's energy teams repaired nearly 12 000 faulty street lights. In spite of this effort, it represents only a portion of the 35 900 energy-related service requests that were logged during that period. According to the City of Cape Town, vandalism, cable theft, and illegal electricity connections are the leading causes of widespread street light failures across the metro. These problems are particularly costly, often requiring full replacements of damaged infrastructure – an intensive process that can take several hours or even days. 'We have various interventions to reduce the risk of these crimes, but as always, we need the help of our residents to report suspicious activity of their neighbourhood power infrastructure,' said the City's Mayco Member for Energy, Xanthea Limberg. The City's Energy Directorate also pointed to severe winter weather as a contributing factor. Persistent storms and intense rainfall throughout June contributed to a rise in reported outages. 'Wet and windy weather often increases the number of service requests,' added Limberg. 'It also slows down turnaround times as it is typically dangerous for our teams to do electrical work in those conditions.' The worst-hit area during this reporting period was Area East – which includes Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, and Parow. Energy-related requests attended to in the Cape Town metro were as follows: EAST NORTH SOUTH Helderberg, Oostenberg, Bloemhof, Parow Vanguard, Mowbray, City, Atlantis Mitchells Plain, Wynberg, Gugulethu, Muizenberg 4 732 3 632 3 498 The City of Cape Town has asked residents to report suspicious behaviour to the City's Public Emergency Communication Centre (021 480 7700), and to remember that the SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention. For service requests, residents should first log a request online or phone 086 0103 089 (Option 3). Alternatively, email power@ Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Trust in the judiciary: South Africa's crisis of confidence
Trust in the judiciary: South Africa's crisis of confidence

IOL News

time10 hours ago

  • IOL News

Trust in the judiciary: South Africa's crisis of confidence

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to chair the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system. Ramaphosa and the ANC have demonstrated that an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution is politically meaningless, says the writer. Image: Independent Media Archives Prof. Sipho Seepe South Africans live in hope. For seven nerve-wracking days, they waited patiently for President Cyril Ramaphosa to address them on one of the most pressing crises the country has faced since 1994. A week earlier, Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi had placed the entire criminal justice system on trial. Mkhwanazi implicated the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, top brass, correctional services, senior politicians, and members of the judiciary in an intricate web of crime syndicates and drug cartels. The allegations put the country on the knife-edge. This is the stuff that collapses governments. When Ramaphosa finally faced the nation, the address was characteristically and predictably underwhelming. All opposition parties took potshots at Ramaphosa. Those who were disappointed in Ramaphosa's utterances have themselves to blame. First, Ramaphosa is not a man of courage. He has no backbone. Placed in a prickly situation, his instinct is to choose ANC's interests over those of the country. Second, Ramaphosa and the ANC have demonstrated that an oath to uphold and protect the constitution is politically meaningless. Third, Ramaphosa does not come with clean hands. The Phala Phala farmgate scandal must have weighed heavily on his mind. The independent parliamentary panel, comprising luminaries in law, found Ramaphosa to be possibly guilty of serious misconduct of violating section 96(2)(b) by acting in a way that is inconsistent with his office. Ramaphosa was also found to have violated section 96(2)(b) by exposing himself to a situation involving a conflict between his official responsibilities and his private business. The panel concluded that. 'Viewed as a whole, the information presented to the Panel, prima facie, establishes that (1) There was a deliberate intention not to investigate the commission of the crimes committed at Phala Phala openly.' The damning findings by the former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo-led panel have not triggered the usual knee-jerk reaction that we have come to expect from the self-appointed custodians of constitutionalism. If anything, they have been conspicuously silent and absent. Confronted by the ever-lingering prospect of possible impeachment of Ramaphosa over the farmgate scandal, the ANC did what it does best. It closed ranks and squashed parliament's attempt to establish a Multi-Party Committee to investigate its leader. An annoyed Thabo Mbeki wrote. 'Are we [the ANC] saying that we suspect or know that he (Ramaphosa) has done something impeachable and therefore decided that we must protect our president at all costs by ensuring that no Multi-Party Committee is formed?...... We acted as we did [as if] there was something to hide'. There is no way that Ramaphosa was going to throw Mchunu, one of his supporters, under the bus without facing serious political repercussions. The establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry was the only safe route open to Ramaphosa. It enables Ramaphosa to postpone addressing a tricky political question of dispensing with Mchunu's services. Be that as it may, the inquiry should not prevent the police from conducting criminal investigations against those implicated in the alleged commission of crimes. Neither does the commission absolve parliament of its oversight responsibility. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ With a president burdened by allegations of possible criminality, it would be foolhardy to expect that the recommendations of the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry will be taken seriously. That the country can be held in suspense by a President who has proved to be a constitutional delinquent reflects the pervasive sense of lack of accountability, paralysis, and resignation that grips the nation. South Africans deserve Ramaphosa. No self-respecting country would allow this. South Africans have expressed a sense of inquiry-fatigue. They have witnessed far too many commissions without any of them leading to discernible positive effects. Some commissions were demonstrably weaponised to target certain individuals disliked by the establishment. Ordinarily, had it not been for the fact that Mkhwanazi implicated judges in the commission of corrupt activities, the establishment of a judicial commission would be unquestionable. Matters become complex if one considers the fact that the very judiciary had decided that South Africans cannot be entrusted with information relating to who funded President Ramaphosa's 2017 ANC presidential candidacy. Mkhwanazi's allegations lend credence to the speculations that the reason the CR17 files are sealed is that they may implicate some members of the judiciary or their family members. Ramaphosa is lucky. Each time he asks the courts to seal matters that relate to him, the courts oblige. This raises several questions. What happened to transparency being the lifeblood of democracy? If Ramaphosa is innocent as he pretends, why rush to the courts for cover? Who are the funders and beneficiaries of the CR17 funds? The tendency to obfuscate issues whenever Ramaphosa is involved played itself out at the Constitutional Court. Instead of zeroing in on the bigger picture, the country's esteemed jurists inordinately debated whether the parliamentary panel had established a prima facie or sufficient evidence. Their colleague, Justice Owen Rogers, would have none of it. He contended. 'A person loses 8.7 million Rand, they would want to know who the investigating officer is, and has it been reported to the police. Is there a case pending? It is a common cause that there wasn't… There was a deliberate decision because the president wanted to keep secret the source of the money; that's the background to where the panel was coming from.' This invariably raises the perennial question: Who judges the judges? The former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng answered that question when he contended that 'one of the things we needed to do as judges is to give reasons for our decisions that an ordinary man can understand. You must be worried when you read a judgment, and you are struggling to make sense of it.... We ought to know that partly, we account to the public through our judgments. Now, if you write in such a way that the public can't even understand what you are doing, what kind of accountability is that? We don't write for lawyers. We don't account to lawyers only; we account to every South African citizen.' The question becomes pertinent given society's growing mistrust of the judiciary. According to the 2018 Afrobarometer survey, 32% of South Africans suspect that judges are involved in corruption. In 2002, the level of mistrust was 15%. Responding to the 2021 Afrobarometer report on the society's loss of confidence in the judiciary, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya argued that 'the judiciary itself needs to do an introspection and check if we are to blame for this change of attitude towards the institution.' The chair of a commission of inquiry must be beyond reproach for the commission to enjoy legitimacy and credibility. For now, we can only speculate. And the picture is not rosy. * Professor Sipho P. Seepe is an Higher Education & Strategy Consultant. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store