PRETORIA – In a significant breakthrough for South Africa’s fight against political violence, the SAPS Political Killings Task Team has arrested two suspects within a week of taking over a high-profile murder case.
This comes shortly after the controversy and allegations surrounding shamed former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Mchunu has been publicly accused by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of systemic corruption undermining South Africa’s fight against organised crime.
Mkhwanazi’s central claim focused on a controversial instruction issued by Mchunu on 31 December 2024, ordering the immediate shutdown of the Political Killings Task Team.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia however recently demanded the return of 121 dockets to the Political Killings Task Force for investigation.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has commended the task team for the arrest of a 55-year-old local chief and a 23-year-old hitman in connection with the 2022 murder of whistleblower Xolani Ndlovu Ntombela.
ALSO READ: Ramaphosa suspend Mchunu after corruption allegations
Ntombela was gunned down at his homestead in November 2022 after exposing illegal land sales in Emasosheni, Mpophomeni area in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal.
“The turnaround time and swift arrests following the return of the dockets is encouraging and it is a step in the right direction,” said General Masemola. “We urge the team to continue with their investigations in the remaining 120 dockets. We need to solve all these cases because families need answers and closure.”
The two suspects appeared before the Howick Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, facing charges including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that since July 2018, the Political Killings Task Team has achieved more than 130 convictions for murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Attorney assassination sends shockwaves
Meanwhile, the legal fraternity and broader public await news of arrests in the shocking assassination of prominent liquidation attorney Bouwer van Niekerk, who was gunned down in his Johannesburg office on Friday, 5 September.
Van Niekerk was killed execution-style by two assailants posing as clients at his Saxonwold boardroom. The murder is believed to be linked to his work exposing high-level financial corruption and handling high-stakes insolvency cases involving entities tied to state capture and organized crime.
The assassination follows a disturbing pattern targeting liquidators and insolvency practitioners who serve as frontline financial investigators tracing and recovering illicit assets. In March 2023, court-appointed liquidator Cloete Murray and his son were similarly ambushed and murdered while working on cases involving corruption-linked entities.
ALSO READ: Johannesburg insolvency lawyer assassinated in apparent contract killing
