Suspect arrested after murder of Mpumalanga police sergeant
The national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, shared the news of the arrest during a visit to Mtshweni's home in Schoemansdal yesterday.
Masemola did not elaborate much on the arrest and said details would be shared at a later stage.
The national commissioner led a delegation of high-ranking officials that included the deputy national commissioner for policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, Mpumalanga police acting provincial commissioner Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Jackie Macie, and Ehlanzeni police district commissioner Major General Dorah Xaba.
The traditional leadership of the Shongwe chieftaincy also attended.
The delegation also visited the scene of the crime.
During the visit, Masemola reiterated that a reward of R150 000 has been offered to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of Mtshweni's killers.
Mtshweni was one of the police members who attended to a business burglary at Schoemansdal on Saturday morning at about 02:45.
'While assessing the crime scene, the officers were attacked by about 10 gunmen. Our member was shot in the upper body and sadly passed away after he was taken to hospital,' said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli.
He said Mtshweni was a member of the Visible Policing Unit at Schoemansdal Police Station and had 18 years of service in the SAPS.
Anyone who has information that may assist in the investigation is requested to call the Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or send information via the MySAPS app.
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 www.citizen.co.za
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
43 minutes ago
- The South African
Mkhwanazi praised for giving R40k donation to kids of slain cops
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has been praised over his decision to donate over R40 000 raised through a BackaBuddy public initiative towards a charity. Last month, notorious X troll Chris Excel launched a crowdfunding initiative to gift Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi two cows as a 'token of appreciation.' The initiative was a hit, raising R44 000 for the top cop who went public with allegations of corruption within the police department. In a clip posted on social media, Mkhwanazi thanked those who had donated to the initiative. He said, 'I appreciate the gesture and the thoughts of goodwill behind the idea of contributing money. I'm a civil servant, and the public already thanks me enough through the salary I receive every month. It is their taxes that compensate us. I'm privileged to be one of those chosen few to serve and protect the people of South Africa through my role as a police officer'. Mkhwanazi appealed to BackaBuddy and Chris Excel to deposit the cash into the SAPS Educational Trust instead. He continued: 'This is a fund that pays for the educational needs of children of SAPS who died in the line of duty. We have already seen some of these children who have graduated as a result of the support of this fund. 'It is the least that the police can do to support the families and children of our fallen colleagues'. Mkhwanazi added that an independent board of trustees ran the fund. Although Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi graciously gave away the gift intended for him, authorities have claimed he was well within his rights to accept it. KZN police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, told The South African that police may accept gifts for any reason, provided that they declare that it is not a gratification. 'There is a gift register in the SAPS that police officers sign to declare all gifts', he said. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's selfless act has been widely praised by social media users, including Action SA leader Herman Mashaba. He posted: 'This public servant, Nhlahla Mkhwanazi, is absolutely an amazing man. This country is fortunate to have such an individual within the ranks of the SAPS'. Here's what others had to say… General Mkhwanazis ethics and Ubuntu is unparalleled, he represents the best of SAs public servants. — Prof Moya (@MoyaProf) August 13, 2025 This is a beautiful display of ubuntu in action — a community showing gratitude to a leader who has served with integrity. In times where trust in leadership is scarce, it's powerful to see citizens willingly give back, not because they must, but because they believe the man is… — ZoeM 😌 | Chaos & Charisma (@ZolekaMaseko15) August 13, 2025 When police officers die protecting us, the least we can do is ensure their children's futures are secure. School fees, uniforms, stationery – these basics shouldn't be a struggle for families who've already given everything. Great initiative from Lt Gen Mkhwanazi 🇿🇦 — BCPS (@BCPS19) August 13, 2025 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.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Witness Throws Fraud Case into Disarray at Palm Ridge Court
Rushil Singh and Nishani Singh were accused of submitting fraudulent bank guarantees, allegedly issued by Stanbic Bank Ghana, to secure more than R150 million in credit facilities from Investec between 2017 and 2022. Image: Supplied The high-stakes fraud trial against businessman Rushil Singh took an unexpected turn on Wednesday when a key prosecution witness delivered testimony that appeared to contradict earlier claims, casting doubt on the foundation of the State's case. Appearing before Judge Venter at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, the witness — who had submitted three affidavits detailing how Singh and his late sister, Nishani Singh, allegedly defrauded Investec Bank — conceded under cross-examination that there may have been no intention to commit fraud. Rushil Singh and Nishani Singh were accused of submitting fraudulent bank guarantees, allegedly issued by Stanbic Bank Ghana, to secure more than R150 million in credit facilities from Investec between 2017 and 2022. The pair were arrested in 2023 and have been in custody ever since. Nishani, who suffered from severe health complications, died on Saturday at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital while awaiting trial. Now, the witness's testimony threatens to upend the State's case entirely. 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 ✕ Affidavits Under Scrutiny During Wednesday's proceedings, the witness confirmed authoring three affidavits submitted to the State — all of which were accepted into the record by Judge Venter. While the affidavits outline how guarantees were submitted and how the bank was allegedly misled, the witness admitted they do not directly prove criminal intent.'These affidavits establish a prima facie case,' he said, 'but they do not show that the accused acted with intent to defraud.' He went further, explaining that the guarantees, which were meant to secure substantial loans, were represented as being backed by cash reserves held in Ghana by the Joint Investment Company (JIC). 'It made logical sense to assume the guarantees were backed by cash,' he told the court. Pressed by the defence on whether Rushil or Nishani Singh knowingly provided false guarantees, the witness replied, 'No.' He acknowledged that many of the email attachments used as evidence in the affidavits were genuine and not forged, a revelation that further weakens the prosecution's claim of fabricated documentation. Defence Seizes Opportunity The defence was quick to highlight inconsistencies in the witness's account, arguing that if the documentation was legitimate and the guarantees were presented in line with standard banking practices, then the case hinges on misunderstanding, not malice. 'This may be a case of reckless financial conduct, but not criminal fraud,' said the witness under questioning. With the State's star witness softening his earlier position, the defence believes the court may soon have little choice but to reconsider the charges against Rushil Singh. Calls for Inquiry Into Sister's Death Meanwhile, the death of Nishani Singh has sparked mounting public pressure for an independent investigation. She had been in visibly poor health during recent court appearances and was reportedly denied adequate medical care while in custody. Her death has raised uncomfortable questions about the treatment of pre-trial detainees in South Africa's prison system.'If this testimony holds, it means Nishani may have died while innocent,' a legal analyst told reporters outside court.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Police urged to act as 2 million illegal firearms are circulating in South Africa
Two million illegal guns are on South Africa's streets. RISE Mzansi warns no one is safe and slams SAPS for failing to track and remove deadly firearms like the AK-47. Millions of illegal firearms are circulating in South Africa. This is in addition to the approximately 2.7 million legal firearms owned by private citizens, according to studies by Gun Free South Africa (GFSA). The high number of illegal firearms contributes to South Africa's high rate of gun violence, where firearms are the weapon of choice in many crimes, including murder. In the first six months of the most recent reported period, over 12 700 people were killed, averaging 70 murders per day. The illegal firearms trade is a serious concern, with some estimates suggesting there is one illegal firearm for every legal firearm. Civil society groups are calling for amendments to the Firearms Control Act to address the issue. Now Rise Mzansi has warned that an estimated two million illegal firearms circulating in South Africa are posing a serious threat to public safety. The party has criticised the South African Police Service (SAPS) for failing to track the specific makes of firearms used in crimes properly, a shortfall it says undermines crime analysis and detection efforts. In a written parliamentary reply to Rise Mzansi, the Minister of Police revealed that SAPS's Enhanced Firearms Register System (EFRS) does not capture the specific makes of firearms, only their types, such as handguns, shotguns, or rifles. This means the system is unable to identify weapons like the AK-47, Norinco, or AKM, all of which have reportedly been used in violent crimes across South Africa. Rise Mzansi Member of Parliament and National Assembly Caucus Whip Makashule Gana said the lack of detailed firearm data hampers the country's ability to track and remove illegal weapons from communities. 'Currently, the data provided in the EFRS can only differentiate in terms of firearm types (handgun, shotgun or rifle), not makes (AK47, Norinco, AKM),' the Minister of Police stated in response to the party's questions.
