Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya said an attack on police officials is an assault on society and the State.
Lebeya said they categorised the killing of police officials as that national priority offence that requires the attention of the DPCI (known as the Hawks).
On Sunday during a media briefing, Lebeya shared the successes attained by the DPCI during the second quarter of 2024/2025.
According to him, the DPCI is still dedicated to carrying out its duty to investigate, prevent, and prosecute acts against national priorities without favour or fear.
“There exists a blue wall in South Africa. A human wall formed by men and women in blue. The wall that divides and shields the good from the bad elements in society. The stronger the wall, the safer the community. The weaker the wall, the happier the criminals. Criminals will continuously attack this wall in order to access the protected good citizens of this... country,” said Lebeya.
He said during this period, 17 police officials were murdered of which 13 were off-duty while four were on-duty.
“There are 17 arrests and seven convictions with four life imprisonment sentences were secured,” said Lebeya.
He highlighted some cases in this regard.
Case 1: life plus 26 years’ imprisonment for a police killer in the Western Cape.
In June 2020, members from Nyanga Crime Prevention Unit were executing their duties in New Rest Squatter Camp, Nyanga. As they were searching the premises, Constable Asanda Siyoko was shot and died on arrival in hospital.
“The team consisting of the Hawks, Nyanga SAPS members, and Crime Intelligence immediately launched a manhunt. On 8 June 2020, Aviwe Ndwanyana, 27, was arrested and kept in custody. On 18 June 2024, Ndwanyana was convicted of murder, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of ammunition without a licence of a firearm capable of firing such ammunition, and pointing of a firearm.
“On 31 July 2024, the convict was sentenced by the Western Cape division of the High Court to life imprisonment; 15 years imprisonment; five years imprisonment, five years imprisonment, and 18 months imprisonment for the respective charges. The court ordered that sentences imposed on counts 3, 4 and 5 will run concurrently. Ndwanyana will effectively serve life imprisonment and an additional 20 years,” said Lebeya.
Case 2: Police killers share two life plus 30 years’ imprisonment in Gauteng.
On June 23, 2022, Constable Prudence Masuku, who was stationed at Daveyton SAPS, was murdered in Putfontein while on her way to work. The seven-month-pregnant constable was accompanied by her husband James Veli Masuku, 36. Investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation and ballistic results revealed that the service pistol belonging to the deceased was the very weapon that was used to murder her.
Members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Ekurhuleni Crime Intelligence, and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department arrested her husband and Xolani Lawrence Dlamini, 31, after swiftly reacting to information about a suspect demanding cash for murdering the police officer from a “middleman”.
Lebeya said on April 8, 2024, Masuku and Dlamini, who pleaded not guilty, were convicted of murder, theft of a firearm, two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, and defeating the administration of justice.
“On 23 August 2024, the Gauteng High Court sitting in Benoni sentenced Masuku and Dlamini to life imprisonment for murder. They were further sentenced to five years imprisonment for theft of a firearm, five years imprisonment for possession of unlicensed firearm, and three years imprisonment for illegal possession of ammunition, which runs concurrently with the life imprisonment sentence. They were further declared unfit to possess firearms in the future,” said Lebeya.
According to the South African Police Union (SAPU), it has always been the opinion of the union that an attack on a police officer is an attack on the State.
“We welcome all efforts made to arrest and see the convictions of police killers, and we stand on our position that police killings must be declared treason as it will stand as a deterrence on police killings. We will not relent on this matter until such time we have zero number reported on police killings,” said SAPU spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale.
The Star