Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya. Picture: Facebook/ SA gov
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) of South Africa has reported a disturbing surge in police killings, with 17 officers losing their lives between July and September this year.
This revelation came during a recent media briefing where the Hawks presented their crime-fighting statistics for the second quarter of the 2024 financial year.
Of the 17 police officers killed, four were murdered while on duty, and 13 off-duty. Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya emphasised the severity of these incidents, describing them as “an attack on the state”.
Lebeya referred to the police force as a “blue wall” that protects society from criminal elements.
“The stronger the wall, the safer, the community. The weaker the wall, the happier the criminals. Criminals will continuously attack this wall to access the protected good citizens of my beloved country. An attack of police officials is an assault on society and indeed an attack on the state,” he added.
Lebeya said the Hawks prioritised these cases, securing 17 arrests and seven convictions related to police killings, including four life imprisonment sentences.
The Hawks head also revealed their operations which resulted in the arrest of 818 suspects, including 800 individuals and 18 juristic persons.
“Of the 818 suspects, the Serious Organised Crime Investigation secured 489, the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation secured 209 while the Serious Corruption Investigation secured 120 suspects,” he said.
Gauteng province led with 192 arrests, followed by North West with 119, KwaZulu-Natal had 115, Mpumalanga 114, and Eastern Cape had 79 arrests.
During these operations, Lebeya revealed that 84 firearms and 2,049 rounds of ammunition were seized.
Additionally, seven clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled, with a total value of R17,405,374-90.
The Hawks secured convictions for 301 accused, with 285 already sentenced and 16 awaiting sentencing.
“Of the 272 sentenced natural persons, 164 are South Africans while 108 are foreign nationals. Most of these convictions and sentences were secured in the Gauteng province,” said Lebeya.
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The Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) contributed to the issuance of 75 freezing and forfeiture orders, amounting to R72,975,952-78.
An additional R8,178,798-87 was deposited into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA).
“These make the total recorded successes on arrests, convictions and attachment of assets to 1 194.”
Throughout the report, Lebeya noted 40 cases, which he said represented only 3% of the successes.
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The Hawks received reports of 58 cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery incidents during the second quarter.
They arrested 49 suspects, including 15 who died in exchanges of gunfire with the police.
An additional 66 suspects were arrested in CIT-related cases.
The courts secured 43 convictions, with six life sentences and a combined 931 years of imprisonment handed down.
Lebeya said drug trafficking was one of the most “visible transnational organised crime perpetrated by international organised criminal groups”.
He highlighted the emergence of fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, in the South African drug market.
“Drug traffickers mix it with the known drugs and becomes highly toxic with those who takes it, dying of overdose.
“One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people,” Lebeya revealed.
He cited a report by the Drug Enforcement Agency of the United States. According to Lebeya the report revealed that more than 107 000 Americans died of fentanyl overdose this year alone.
“In July 2024, one suspect was arrested in Cape Town with fentanyl. He reported to have received this drug from someone in Johannesburg to try the market in Cape Town.”
Lebeya urged South Africans to “do more to discourage drug demand”.
In a major drug bust on July 19, 2024, authorities discovered chemicals and crystal meth with an estimated street value of R2 billion at a farm.
Five suspects, including three Mexican nationals believed to be part of the Sinaloa cartel, were arrested.
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The Hawks, in collaboration with other agencies, conducted operations against illegal mining activities.
Notable cases included the arrest of geologist Jan Aucamp and two others for possessing chrome worth R20 million without a permit in Limpopo.
Additionally, the apprehension of four individuals involved in illegally procuring gold-bearing material, with an estimated R111 million in illegally acquired gold disposed of.
Lebeya emphasised the importance of maintaining integrity within the legal profession.
He said their professions were one of honour and that they needed to continue to maintain its decorum.
“Those who betray that trust need to take full responsibility and the Legal Profession Council should continue to police those who breach professional ethics. It should ensure that all legal practitioners observe a settled expectation of uberrima fides, the highest possible degree of good faith in dealing with clients during submissions, and representations to clients so that they are accurate, honest, and frank.”
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