PRETORIA – All three suspects in the murder of a South African police sergeant have been killed following a cross-border manhunt involving Mpumalanga police and Eswatini authorities.
The operation, which spanned two countries, successfully tracked down the killers of Sergeant Lawrence Mtshweni, who was gunned down during an armed robbery in Schoemansdal, Mpumalanga, on Friday, 8 August.
The manhunt began immediately after more than seven armed robbers shot and killed Sergeant Mtshweni during a store robbery. Within 24 hours, Mpumalanga police had arrested the first suspect on South African soil on Saturday, 9 August.
However, the investigation revealed that the remaining suspects had fled across the border to the Kingdom of Eswatini, prompting an unprecedented level of cooperation between the two nations’ law enforcement agencies.
“The cross-border operation led by the SAPS Acting Provincial Commissioner of Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Zeph Mkhwanazi, ended in successfully tracing all three suspects,” said Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.
Working closely with the Royal Eswatini Police and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, investigators tracked two suspects to the Sishweleni region. When the suspects saw approaching police, they opened fire on the officers.
“The Eswatini Royal Police returned fire, fatally wounding both suspects,” confirmed sources within the Royal Eswatini Police.
The third suspect was traced to Mantambe in Shiselweni, where he allegedly took his own life with a pistol before officers could make the arrest.
Masemola expressed his gratitude to Eswatini authorities for their crucial assistance in the operation.
The Commissioner emphasised the importance of strengthening cross-border cooperation on law enforcement matters, particularly as police killings continue to plague South Africa.
The successful operation comes at a critical time for SAPS, which has lost six officers since 1 April this year. This concerning trend has prompted urgent calls for community assistance in protecting law enforcement personnel.
“The attacks and killing of our police officers is a concern, and we request our communities to assist us in putting a stop to these killings,” Masemola stressed. “We need as many boots on the ground as possible to prevent and combat crime.”
While celebrating this successful operation, SAPS continues searching for Jabulani Moyo, who allegedly shot and killed two police detectives while being transported back to Boksburg Correctional Services after a court appearance on an armed robbery case.
The police service has offered a R150 000 reward for information leading to Moyo’s whereabouts.
ALSO READ: Manhunt for double police murder suspect
The SAPS leadership will attend three funerals this weekend to honor officers who died in the line of duty:
- Warrant Officer Vuyisile Sintwa will be buried on Sunday, 17 August, in Mandilore, Krugersdorp
- Sergeant Simon Masenye will be buried on Saturday, 16 August, in Munsieville
- Sergeant Lawrence Mtshweni will be buried on Saturday, 16 August 2025, in Schoemansdal
The SAPS Commemoration Day is scheduled for Sunday, 7 September, where 27 police officers who lost their lives on duty will be remembered and honored.
You must be logged in to post a comment.