Latest news with #DirectorateforPriorityCrimeInvestigations
The Citizen
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Minister: Crime stats prove SA's plan is working despite criticism
The South African government is determined to deal with crime despite media reports to the contrary. This is the word from Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni who briefed the media in Cape Town today. 'Cabinet has noted the continuous debate about crime in South Africa and allegations that there is a lack of a concrete government plan to deal with crime in South Africa. This is despite that on the May 23, the minister of police released the 2024/25 fourth quarter [statistics]. During this crime statistics release, the minister of police outlined the seventh administration's policing priorities,' she said. Those priorities are: Reducing the murder rate; Reducing illegal firearms and tightening controls over legal firearms; Fighting gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF); and Dismantling organised crime, including drug trafficking syndicates, cash-in-transit heists, extortion and kidnappings, tackling gang violence, and combating corruption both within the SAPS and across the country. 'The… statistics showed progress of a general decline compared to the same period in the previous financial year. For example, of the 30 high-crime police stations in terms of reporting, 13 have recorded lower counts [of crime reporting] and two recorded no change. 'On farm murders… whereas in principle, government does not categorise South Africans in terms of race, in light of recent misinformation, the following are the statistics: Of the farm owners killed – both… were African. Of the farm workers killed, both… of them were Africans and of the five farm managers killed, one was African [thereby] dismantling the misinformation that there is a targeted attack on white commercial farmers or white farmers in general,' she explained. Furthermore, Operation Shanela continues to score gains against illegal firearms, with 128 of those seized recently. 'The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations is also continuing its work, which resulted in 656 suspects appearing in court, including 364 linked to serious organised crimes, 220 from serious commercial crimes, and 72 from serious corruption. 'On GBVF, a roundtable led by [the] Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBVF will be held… tomorrow at the Atteridgeville Community Hall in Pretoria, and this will focus on the National Strategic Plan implementation and progress thereof. It will also evaluate and reinforce the effectiveness and efficiencies of services provided to GBVF victims,' she said. Political killings Cabinet also welcomed the guilty plea entered into by Sibusiso Ngcengwa in the murder of former ANC Youth League Secretary General and municipal councillor Sindiso Magaqa. Magaqa was killed in 2017 in an apparent hit in KZN. 'Cabinet takes political killings seriously, more so because the victims of those are people who are committed to the fight against corruption in municipalities or in government. 'We are hopeful that this breakthrough will shed further light on other players involved in the murder of Mr Sindiso Magaqa,' Ntshavheni said. – 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. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- The Citizen
Gauteng residents and police officials keep Hawks busy
Most of the arrests and convictions were secured in the City of Gold. Gauteng kept the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, on its toes due to criminal activities during the fourth quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year. Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya provided an update on Thursday on some of the cases that have kept the unit busy during this period. Arrests and convictions According to the Hawks head, 656 suspects – 607 natural persons and 49 juristic persons – appeared before the various courts in the country. Of these arrests, 450 (74%) were South Africans, while 127 (26%) were foreign nationals. ALSO READ: Lawyer, plumber and then security professional: Inside the elaborate cons of scammers nabbed by the Hawks Of the 656 suspects, the serious organised crime investigation secured 364, the serious commercial crime investigation secured 220, while the serious corruption investigation secured 72 suspects before the courts. Gauteng leads The majority of the arrests happened in Gauteng -139, North West – 99, KwaZulu-Natal – 88, Eastern Cape, and Free State – 73 each. During these arrests, 395 firearms and 1746 rounds of ammunition were seized. Seven clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled with drugs worth R23.6 million. During the same period, the Hawks secured 239 convictions. Of these, 253 accused were natural persons and 13 juristic persons. Of the 253 sentenced natural persons, 139 (55%) were South Africans, while 114 (45%) were foreigners. Most of these convictions and sentences happened in Gauteng. Of these convictions, the serious organised crimes investigation secured 157, the serious commercial crimes investigation secured 73, while the serious corruption investigation secured 9. ALSO READ: Hawks arrest three in R2m fraud scandal at University of Fort Hare 'To ensure that crime does not pay, the Priority Crimes Specialised Investigation (PCSI) has contributed towards the use of a combined 102 freezing and forfeiture orders amounting to R418 million 938 340. Of these orders, 56 were preservation orders, with a monetary value of R370 952 439,' said the Hawks head. 'With 45 forfeiture orders with a monetary value of R14 985 000, one restraint order with a monetary value of R33 million. An amount of R19 104 419 has been deposited into the criminal assets recovery account. This performance makes the total recorded successes of arrests, convictions and attachment of assets 1 024.' Hawks on police killings The Hawks once again bemoaned the killings of police officers. Some lost their lives in the line of duty, while others were off duty. During this period, 22 police officials were murdered – 16 were off-duty, while six were on duty. According to the Hawks head, 50% of these murders happened in Gauteng. ALSO READ: Hawks arrest two women for editing matric certificates Officials managed to secure 38 arrests and 14 convictions, with 11 life sentences plus 487 years in prison secured. Two Metro police officers were killed during this period. However, the police force is also bleeding officials to crime, with 33 police officials arrested during this period. According to the Hawks' head, 19 of these officials were traffic officials, while 14 were Saps officials. 'They were arrested for cases ranging from fraud, corruption, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and defeating the ends of justice,' said Lebeya. Most of these officers were arrested in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State. Six police officials were convicted and sentenced for defeating the ends of justice, conspiracy to commit robbery, fraud, and corruption. READ NEXT: Crackdown on coltan scam continues as Hawks arrest two more suspects
