Police offer R150k reward for information on whereabouts of alleged cop killer Jabulani Thabang Moyo
Moyo allegedly shot dead the two trio task team officers who were transporting him back to the Boksburg prison after his court appearance.
The detectives' firearms were taken and the suspect was seen driving the unmarked police car.
Police said the car was found abandoned a few kilometres from the scene.
The slain officers have been named as 51-year-old WO Vuyisile Sintwa and 45-year-old Sgt Simon Masenye.
Sintwa had 23 years of service, having joined the organisation in 2002, while Masenye had 17 years of service.
On Saturday, police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola visited the families of the slain officers.
Masemola said the service had lost three police officers in 24 hours in the line of duty- the two detectives attached to the Florida police station and a crime prevention officer attached to the Schoemansdal police station in Mpumalanga.
'This is not only an attack on the justice and crime prevention security cluster, but it is a direct attack on the authority of the rule of law and the state,' he said.
Masemola said 27 men and women in blue had died in the line of duty in the past financial year.
Six police officers have lost their lives to criminal attacks and ambushes from April to date.
'These are not just numbers, they were mothers and fathers who have left families behind to fend for themselves. Most of them were breadwinners in their households but, most importantly, they were members who dedicated and lay down their lives in the line of duty by ensuring that all people living in South Africa are safe and protected from callous criminals,' he said.
He warned that it cannot be business as usual "when criminals have clearly declared war on the authority of the state".
Masemola appealed to officers to "not die with the tools and resources that we have given you".
'The men and women in blue must act appropriately when circumstances allow them to act. Remember to always use force that is proportional to the threat., he said.
Masemola said the investigation into how these detectives were shot was ongoing and being led by the Hawks.
'We are relying on the bystanders and witnesses as well as evidence gathered at the filling station where they stopped, from the Roodepoort magistrate court and where the shootings happened. We are following up on every piece of information that will assist us in solving this case.'
He said whether Moyo was handcuffed and why members were travelling in a sedan were under investigation.
Police have warned that Moyo is extremely dangerous and members of the public should avoid approaching him.
'He has no regard for life and we are warning anyone that has information to come forward and not approach this killer. Those who may have information on this case including the whereabouts of Moyo are encouraged to call WO Rabosiwana from the Hawks on 0728444442,' said police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.
Mathe said police are also offering a separate R150,000 reward to anyone who can assist police to find at least 10 suspects who shot dead 47-year-old Sgt Lawrence Mtshweni.
Mtshweni was part of a group of police officers who responded to a business burglary in Schoemansdal, Mpumalanga, when he was killed.
He had 18 years of service and was attached to the visible policing unit.
TimesLIVE
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Herald
an hour ago
- The Herald
Gauteng transport MEC confident violence between e-hailers and taxi industry will be resolved
Gauteng roads and transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela is confident that meetings between stakeholders will bring about an end to the violence between the taxi industry and e-hailers. 'I just want to say to people of Soweto and people of Gauteng, that we now have things under control and we just have met with the Soweto e-hailers organisation,' she said she had met about 16 organisations, the centre manager and taxi associations on Monday. This comes after e-hailing vehicles were attacked last week at Soweto's Maponya Mall, resulting in the death of Siyanda Mthokozisi Mvelase, who had been a driver for only three days. Two other people were injured. Maponya Mall centre manager Jo Morobe said there had been tensions between e-hailers and the taxi industries and the centre had been trying to resolve them. Morobe said they had been engaging e-hailing operators, taxis and the community since 2020 to prevent clashes. Gauteng National Taxi Alliance spokesperson Theo Malele condemned the violent acts but admitted that lawlessness exists among some operators. 'It's sheer thuggery. We encourage the public to report such incidents to authorities. We cannot be a law unto ourselves. At the same time, e-hailing operators need proper leadership because there is a lot of fragmentation. Some vehicles on the ground aren't linked to e-hailing or taxi services, creating lawlessness,' said Malele. Diale-Tlabela said the provincial government has platforms where all operators can engage, but there is often a gap between leadership and people on the ground. She called on e-hailing operators to organise themselves. Diale-Tlabela also acknowledged the trauma caused by last week's incident, saying that what happened was a 'new type of conflict'. "We need law enforcement to investigate and give us proper feedback. We are working to strengthen security with cameras and ensure everyone entering and leaving the mall is identifiable.' She urged unity across the public transport and e-hailing sectors. She said that there will be challenges. 'We are confident we can arrive at a point where operators work together, share experiences and transfer skills. The taxi industry knows our stance and is cooperating. E-hailing drivers are new, some have been forced into this after losing jobs and they need proper grooming and support. As a government, we are committed to helping them so that operations can continue safely,' the MEC said. TimesLIVE

The Herald
2 hours ago
- The Herald
Three of four accused in toddler 'drug' case, including mom, drop bail
Three of the four people from Newclare arrested after a video on social media of a young boy smoking what appeared to be drugs abandoned bail in the Johannesburg magistrate court on Monday. Only accused number 2 is fighting to be released on bail. The accused, who has a previous drug conviction dating back to 2018, faces charges of attempted murder and child abuse alongside his co-accused, who include the boy's mother. The case stems from a viral video that allegedly shows the four-year-old boy lighting a 'harmful' substance in a pipe for his mother and then being encouraged to smoke it himself, with the other accused allegedly present. In an affidavit, the accused told the court he was not a danger to society, would comply with bail conditions and would live with his aunt outside Newclare if granted bail. His lawyer added that his family could afford R3,000 for bail. But the state strongly opposed his release. The investigating officer argued that the accused was identified in the viral video and had even admitted to recording it. The state also argued about the seriousness of the charges and the public outrage surrounding the case, saying granting him bail would undermine confidence in the justice system. It added the accused was unemployed, which raised concerns he might abscond if released. The court heard that the child has been placed in a place of safety while social workers continue their assessments. Magistrate Annalisa Tlhapi reserved judgment on the bail application until Friday. A large group of Newclare residents packed the public gallery in a show of support for the state's opposition to bail. Community activist Melissa Davids said after the application that residents were relieved that three of the accused had abandoned bail but were still deeply worried about the accused who had applied to be released on bail. 'We believe that granting him bail would send the wrong message. Already, we see similar cases coming up. Our children are not safe and we want the courts to send a strong signal that this behaviour will never be tolerated,' said Davids. Davids added that while residents had remained calm throughout the process, they could not guarantee the same restraint in the future if justice was not served. TimesLIVE

The Herald
11 hours ago
- The Herald
Two held for kidnapping of Kariega woman
Two suspects have been arrested for the recent kidnapping of a 73-year-old Kariega woman . Theresa Minnie was abducted outside her Fairbridge Heights home at 5.30am on Monday last week. She was released unharmed by the kidnappers at the weekend. Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the suspects, aged 29 and 31, had been positively linked to Minnie's kidnapping. The suspects were due appear at the Kariega magistrate's court on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, Mhlakuvana said. He said the arrests were a collaborative effort between the Gqeberha-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) and Magama security company. Mhlakuvana said Minnie had been driving out the gate at her home when she was blocked by a Volkswagen Polo and two armed people got out the vehicle. They bundled her into their vehicle and sped off. Mhlakuvana said on the same day a ransom demand had allegedly been made and the matter was handed over to the Hawks for investigation. He said the pressure exerted by a multidisciplinary team had resulted in her being released on Saturday and she was found near the Kariega police station unharmed and reunited with her family. 'An intelligence-driven operation was conducted, which led the team to the suspects' homestead,' Mhlakuvana said. He said they had recovered an undisclosed amount of cash, two vehicles and two firearms that were suspected to have been used in Minnie's kidnapping. These had been seized for further investigation. Hawks provincial head Major-General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya has lauded the investigating team for the arrests. The Herald