Hawks mum on arrests after numerous Nelson Mandela Bay kidnappings
On Tuesday, Hawks spokesperson Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana implored the families of kidnap victims not to try to handle the situation by themselves. Mhlakuvana said family involvement was hindering the police's investigations into the many kidnappings in Nelson Mandela Bay.
This warning comes as community anxiety mounts over the recent kidnapping of Theresa Minnie, the latest victim in Fairbridge Heights, Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) in the metro.
While not all kidnappings are reported to the police it is estimated that there have been anywhere between 13 and 25 kidnappings for ransom this year alone in the metro.
Mhlakuvana said the Hawks could not give any information on arrests.
Councillor Bill Harrington from the Freedom Front Plus said their statistics indicated that there had been 25 kidnappings this year alone.
Several sources, some close to the families who suffered a kidnapping this year, said they do not believe there have been any arrests.
In June, Lindsay Knowlden was kidnapped from the municipal fresh produce market in Markman as she and her husband arrived for work on a Saturday morning.
Meanwhile fear has gripped the metro and communities are organising secret meetings to discuss how they can keep themselves safe after 73-year-old Minnie was kidnapped from her home on Monday at about 5.30am.
Minnie was on her way to work at the family's logistics business when she was overpowered and dragged into a Volkswagen Polo that then sped away.
The police confirmed that a charge of kidnapping had been opened, but by Tuesday night there had been no confirmation if a ransom demand was received.
'In several instances, we have observed the direct engagements between the victims' families and perpetrators,' Mhlakuvana added. 'We discourage such practices as it most of the time hinders our investigations.
'The multidisciplinary kidnapping task team remains active and continues to operate in close coordination with various SAPS units,' he said. 'The team's focus is to swiftly address kidnapping cases effectively.'
He said he could confirm that this 'collaborative task team' had 'active kidnapping investigations'.
Mhlakuvana said that even providing basic information, such as the number of arrests, would 'compromise ongoing investigations'. However, he did not explain how confirming an arrest might jeopardise a case.
But he assured the public that 'significant progress has been made'. Arrests, he said, had been made for 'kidnapping-related offences'.
'It must be noted that some of these cases are currently before court, while others are still under investigation. We have seen positive results as we work closely with communities.'
In April the police managed to free American missionary Josh Sullivan, who was kidnapped for ransom from his church in Motherwell. Three of the men who held him captive were killed by the police at the time.
The current president of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Kelvin Naidoo, was also kidnapped for ransom last year but later released by his captors.
The Democratic Alliance's Yusuf Cassim said he believed that there had been a major failure in crime intelligence, both in Nelson Mandela Bay and in the Eastern Cape.
'I also believe they have no arrests to show,' he said. 'The state of crime intelligence in the province has gone beyond just being a concern. It has been debilitated.'
In May the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police received a petition drawn up by residents of Nelson Mandela Bay's Northern Areas. In their subsequent discussion they pointed out that the problems plaguing Nelson Mandela Bay were systemic and echoed across the country.
'Repeated acts of violence, a culture of fear in communities and an apparent lack of accountability had become entrenched,' the meeting report read.
Following this meeting the Portfolio Committee on Police resolved to request further information from the SAPS on the status and resourcing of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) and Crime Intelligence in the Eastern Cape, as well as the police's plans to improve investigation quality, prioritise forensic analysis and enforce discipline among its ranks.
As part of its recommendations the committee ordered that 'the SAPS must urgently address staffing, equipment, and capacity gaps in the Eastern Cape's AGU and Crime Intelligence structures, specifically in Nelson Mandela Bay.
'A progress report on steps taken to implement the recommendation should be submitted by the end of July 2025.' Cassim said no such report has been received. 'We are in big trouble,' he said. DM
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Daily Maverick
6 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
R200m cocaine theft from KZN Hawks office may tie police to global drug traffickers
Cocaine worth R200m was stolen from the Hawks offices in KwaZulu-Natal four years ago. Daily Maverick has established that the way the drug was stored seemed to break police protocol. And now there are claims the saga is linked to a murder, which fits into South Africa's unprecedented cop scandal. The police discovered a major cocaine consignment, weighing about 541kg and worth more than R200-million, at a container depot in Isipingo in the south of Durban in June four years ago. The stash had logos on it, including the Jaguar brand. It may be coincidence, but a now-jailed member of Mexico's globally notorious Sinaloa Cartel, which is known for bribing officials and appears to be active in South Africa, used the image of a jaguar on cocaine bundles to show his ownership. A few months after the Isipingo bust, and about 100km away, criminals targeted cocaine of the same weight and value in November 2021. View this post on Instagram A post shared by South African Police Service🇿🇦 (@sapoliceservice_za) Windows at the Port Shepstone offices of the Hawks, the police unit that focuses on priority crimes in the country, were forced open. A safe inside the building was tampered with — and 541kg of cocaine, presumably the consignment confiscated in Isipingo, was stolen. This all happened in KwaZulu-Natal, the province where Durban harbour is located. Global traffickers seem to prefer using that port when shipping masses of drugs into South Africa, pointing to cartels having pointsmen in place there to smuggle narco consignments around. Broken protocol suggestions Now, nearly four years after the cocaine theft from the Port Shepstone Hawks offices that saw an internal inquiry ordered, the police have still not told the public what really happened. It therefore is not clear if anyone has been held to account for the critical breach at a key building that was clearly not properly secured. Several sources in policing circles have before said the burglary was probably an inside job — that police officers colluded with drug traffickers. A source recently expressed frustration that the case exposed 'negligence' on the part of the police, yet key questions about it remain unanswered. Daily Maverick has also established that police officers appear to have broken their own protocol in the way the R200-million cocaine was stored over several months. It should have been sent to a police laboratory, but was not. Last week Daily Maverick asked the Hawks several questions about the saga, including if it was the norm to keep masses of drugs at its offices, whether any members had been polygraph tested or had suddenly resigned after the theft, and what had happened to the case. In response, Hawks spokesperson Thandi Mbambo simply said: 'We confirm that this matter is still under investigation and details thereof cannot be publicised.' The R200-million Port Shepstone cocaine theft now fits into a broader and unprecedented policing scandal in South Africa that is forcing it back into public focus. Last month, on 6 July 2025, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a press conference and made a series of astounding allegations that are effectively reshaping aspects of the South African Police Service (SAPS). He said a high-level criminal syndicate was operating in the country and it extended into the police, the Police Ministry, Parliament, prison officials, the judiciary and other law-enforcement authorities. Mkhwanazi also alleged that a 'drug cartel' headquartered in Gauteng and bringing in narcotics from South America was ultimately controlling the syndicate. On top of that, he accused the police minister at the time, Senzo Mchunu, and the National Deputy Commissioner of Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya, of shutting down a political killing task team, a move that hindered investigations. The accusations, which they denied, resulted in them being placed on leave. Mchunu also denied accusations that he had colluded with a crime suspect. Firoz Cachalia is now filling the Police Minister position in an acting capacity. Sibiya has launched legal action challenging Mkhwanazi's accusations and what he says is unfair treatment. DJ Sumbody's murder — claims and denial Mkhwanazi made several other accusations during last month's press conference. He referenced confiscated firearms allegedly linked to several cases in Gauteng involving high-profile artists. Despite suspects being identified in those cases, Mkhwanazi said prosecutors had yet to act so that arrests could be made. It appeared that one of the cases involved Oupa John Sefoka, better known as DJ Sumbody, who was murdered in a Gauteng shooting in November 2022. Two others were also killed in the incident. Sefoka had business ties to, among others, suspected 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield who faces unrelated criminal accusations in Cape Town (and who previously faced firearm-related charges, since withdrawn, alongside ex-police officers from Gauteng). About two weeks after Mkhwanazi's press conference, four suspects were arrested in connection with Sefoka's murder. Among the four were former police detective Michael Pule Tau and businessman Katiso Molefe — Mkhwanazi had referenced both, who face other criminal charges, during his July press conference when he also alleged a drug cartel was based in Gauteng. Previously there were unofficial murmurs, that could not be corroborated, that Sefoka's killing may be connected to drugs and gangsterism. And shortly after last month's arrests connected to the murder, Sunday World published an article saying that 'police insiders and associates close to' Sefoka claimed his killing was linked to a drug consignment that 'disappeared' from KwaZulu-Natal police custody a few years ago. This is an apparent reference to the Port Shepstone R200-million cocaine theft of 2021. The Sunday World article said sources also claimed that 'the consignment resurfaced in Johannesburg's club circuit, where it was sold at a cut-rate price' and that this upset the 'original owners' of the drugs. MEDIA RELEASE FROM 'BE A SUMBODY' FOUNDATION: — IRS Forensic Investigations (@FraudWatchZA) July 30, 2025 According to the claims, Sefoka got entangled in this saga that also involved a Cape Town 'businessman'. 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He was arrested over two… — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) August 6, 2025 According to various reports on the court proceedings, the State had alleged that Molefe had ties to the illicit drug trade. Molefe's bail application is expected to resume on Friday, 15 August. Back to the R200-million Port Shepstone theft of 2021. Jaguar clue and (in)secure storage According to various sources, that stolen cocaine consignment was the one found in Isipingo on 22 June 2021. Traffickers may have got wind of pending police action and temporarily abandoned this stash destined for Gauteng. A previous SAPS statement about the Isipingo interception said: 'Twenty-six canvas bags with TikTok and Jaguar brands were found with bricks of cocaine.' And Hawks head at the time, Godfrey Lebeya, had warned: 'We are closing in on the drug cartels.' 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All this suggests that for nearly five months an international cartel's cocaine worth more than R200-million had been kept in Hawks offices that were not adequately secured, to the point that the windows could be forced open. This brings up other highly concerning questions about what else is being stored in police premises and whether those buildings have proper security measures in place. Forensic labs According to government information, confiscated drugs aside from cannabis should be sent to an SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for testing and storage. A police minister response to a 2016 Parliamentary question about seized drugs said that except for cannabis, consignments were sent to forensic science laboratories 'for analysis, secure storage and destruction, whilst awaiting finalisation of the case and issuing of a relevant disposal order by the National Prosecuting Authority'. 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Khumalo and six colleagues went on to be arrested in June on corruption-related charges, which they denied. Mkhwanazi, during his pivotal press conference the following month, implied that they had been arrested with the deliberate aim of destroying Crime Intelligence. Cartels and Commission of Inquiry President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced a Commission of Inquiry into Mkhwanazi's allegations. Its terms of reference stated that it would investigate 'whether criminal syndicates, including but not limited to drug cartels, have infiltrated or exert undue influence over' various law enforcing bodies. This included the SAPS, metro law enforcement in Gauteng, the National Prosecuting Authority and judiciary. Daily Maverick has reported extensively on the different cartels that operate via South Africa. Brazil's notorious Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), or First Capital Command, is among them. And there are, of course, suspicions relating to the Sinaloa Cartel, once headed by Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán Loera who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the US in 2019. A previous US court document relating to his pretrial detention had explained: 'A cornerstone of his strategy was the corruption of officials at every level of local, municipal, state, national and foreign government, who were paid cash bribes.' Suspected corruption in different government and state structures plus alleged cartel activity is at the core of what the Commission of Inquiry into Mkhwanazi's accusations is set to focus on. The 2021 Port Shepstone R200-million cocaine theft out of Hawks offices may therefore be among the incidents that the commission covers — or, in terms of exposing finer details, uncovers. DM
Daily Maverick
6 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Hawks mum on arrests after numerous Nelson Mandela Bay kidnappings
The Hawks have refused to provide any specifics around arrests for a spate of kidnappings in Nelson Mandela Bay this year, offering only vague assurances that 'progress' is being made. Meanwhile, on Monday morning a woman from Kariega was forcefully taken in what was confirmed to be another kidnapping. On Tuesday, Hawks spokesperson Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana implored the families of kidnap victims not to try to handle the situation by themselves. Mhlakuvana said family involvement was hindering the police's investigations into the many kidnappings in Nelson Mandela Bay. This warning comes as community anxiety mounts over the recent kidnapping of Theresa Minnie, the latest victim in Fairbridge Heights, Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) in the metro. While not all kidnappings are reported to the police it is estimated that there have been anywhere between 13 and 25 kidnappings for ransom this year alone in the metro. Mhlakuvana said the Hawks could not give any information on arrests. Councillor Bill Harrington from the Freedom Front Plus said their statistics indicated that there had been 25 kidnappings this year alone. Several sources, some close to the families who suffered a kidnapping this year, said they do not believe there have been any arrests. In June, Lindsay Knowlden was kidnapped from the municipal fresh produce market in Markman as she and her husband arrived for work on a Saturday morning. Meanwhile fear has gripped the metro and communities are organising secret meetings to discuss how they can keep themselves safe after 73-year-old Minnie was kidnapped from her home on Monday at about 5.30am. Minnie was on her way to work at the family's logistics business when she was overpowered and dragged into a Volkswagen Polo that then sped away. The police confirmed that a charge of kidnapping had been opened, but by Tuesday night there had been no confirmation if a ransom demand was received. 'In several instances, we have observed the direct engagements between the victims' families and perpetrators,' Mhlakuvana added. 'We discourage such practices as it most of the time hinders our investigations. 'The multidisciplinary kidnapping task team remains active and continues to operate in close coordination with various SAPS units,' he said. 'The team's focus is to swiftly address kidnapping cases effectively.' He said he could confirm that this 'collaborative task team' had 'active kidnapping investigations'. Mhlakuvana said that even providing basic information, such as the number of arrests, would 'compromise ongoing investigations'. However, he did not explain how confirming an arrest might jeopardise a case. But he assured the public that 'significant progress has been made'. Arrests, he said, had been made for 'kidnapping-related offences'. 'It must be noted that some of these cases are currently before court, while others are still under investigation. We have seen positive results as we work closely with communities.' In April the police managed to free American missionary Josh Sullivan, who was kidnapped for ransom from his church in Motherwell. Three of the men who held him captive were killed by the police at the time. The current president of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Kelvin Naidoo, was also kidnapped for ransom last year but later released by his captors. The Democratic Alliance's Yusuf Cassim said he believed that there had been a major failure in crime intelligence, both in Nelson Mandela Bay and in the Eastern Cape. 'I also believe they have no arrests to show,' he said. 'The state of crime intelligence in the province has gone beyond just being a concern. It has been debilitated.' In May the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police received a petition drawn up by residents of Nelson Mandela Bay's Northern Areas. In their subsequent discussion they pointed out that the problems plaguing Nelson Mandela Bay were systemic and echoed across the country. 'Repeated acts of violence, a culture of fear in communities and an apparent lack of accountability had become entrenched,' the meeting report read. Following this meeting the Portfolio Committee on Police resolved to request further information from the SAPS on the status and resourcing of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) and Crime Intelligence in the Eastern Cape, as well as the police's plans to improve investigation quality, prioritise forensic analysis and enforce discipline among its ranks. As part of its recommendations the committee ordered that 'the SAPS must urgently address staffing, equipment, and capacity gaps in the Eastern Cape's AGU and Crime Intelligence structures, specifically in Nelson Mandela Bay. 'A progress report on steps taken to implement the recommendation should be submitted by the end of July 2025.' Cassim said no such report has been received. 'We are in big trouble,' he said. DM
TimesLIVE
9 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Defensor Security Company and two directors found guilty of R384m fraud
The Northern Cape high court on Monday found two directors of Defensor Security Services guilty of fraud. The court also found Claudius Gerald Peterson, Gert Renier van Rooyen and their company guilty of contravening the Public Finance Management Act and the Private Security Industry Regulation Act (PSIRA). Peterson, Van Rooyen and Defensor were charged together with Steven Jonkers, the former head of the department of health in the Northern Cape, in 2020. Jonkers was acquitted of all charges. Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Tebogo Thebe said Jonkers, now deputy director-general in another provincial department, allegedly irregularly awarded a tender to Defensor Electronic Security Systems for security services to the department between August and October 2017. The tender's value was initially R224m but later escalated to more than R384m. 'The directors submitted fraudulent documents to gain an unfair advantage over others to be awarded the tender,' Thebe said. The case was reported to the Hawks' serious corruption investigators in December 2017 and arrests were made in 2020. Northern Cape Hawks head Maj-Gen Stephen Mabuela welcome the convictions. 'The wheels of justice may have turned slowly in this matter, but this conviction offers us hope. My appreciation goes to both the investigating and prosecutorial teams for their hard work,' Mabuela said.
