Durban — KwaZulu-Natal’s corruption, drugs, police killings, cash-in-transit (CIT) heists and July unrest instigators made it into the Hawks’ achievements shared by Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya on Tuesday morning.
Lebeya held a media briefing to provide progress of the work and commitment put forth by the Hawks in the fight against perpetrators of national priority crimes.
It was the Hawks’ first official media briefing and Lebeya shared their achievements since his appointment in June 2018.
Lebeya recounted 45 cases, which include successes linked to or in Durban, eThekwini and KZN.
Zandile Gumede
On top of his list, case 1, under the National Clean Audit Task Team, was the eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Solid Waste corruption case which is currently being heard in the Durban High Court.
Lebeya said that on May 14, 2019, former eThekwini Municipality mayor Zandile Gumede and 21 other suspects were secured before court for offences relating to a R208 million DSW tender by the Hawks’ National Clean Audit Task Team, the accused include councillor Mondli Mthembu and businessman Craig Ponnan.
“They were subsequently charged with fraud, corruption, a pattern of racketeering activity in terms of the Poca Act 1998 as well as contravening of the Municipal Finance Management Act of 2003. A total of 22 suspects were arrested for fraud and corruption in connection with eThekwini Durban Solid Waste scandal and the matter is on trial at the KwaZulu-Natal Division of High Court sitting at Durban since August 22, 2022,” Lebeya said.
Drugs
Next were narcotic cases when in June 2021 an intelligence-driven operation led to the discovery of 541kg of cocaine to the value of R216.4m in canvas bags placed in a legitimate shipment of animal food in Isipingo, south of Durban.
“A typical “RIP ON RIP OFF” or “PIGGY BACKING” method with a duplicate seal placed inside for easy re-sealing after the extraction thereof by the trafficking organisation. On July 30, 2021, an intelligence-driven operation led to the discovery of another consignment of 1 000kg of cocaine – R400m in black canvas bags – placed inside a legitimate consignment of vehicle/truck parts. A duplicate seal was found in one of the bags,” Lebeya said.
On July 9, 2021, an intelligence-driven operation conducted on a container destined to be transported from Durban to Aeroton, Johannesburg, led to the arrest of six suspects including two police officials and a traffic official. A duplicate seal was found in possession of one of the arrested suspects and 715kg of cocaine to the value of R286m was seized.
Jacob Zuma
Under the Anti-Corruption Task Team, over the period between 2019 to 2022 financial years, a total of 554 suspects were arrested whilst 142 suspects were convicted for corruption-related offences.
One of the most popular cases in KZN is that of the arms deal case involving former president Jacob Zuma.
“Part of the arms deal case is currently postponed in KwaZulu-Natal High Court which is sitting at Pietermaritzburg to October 17, 2022, and probably November 7, 2022, depending on the other applications,” Lebeya said.
Police killings
In the serious organised crime investigation into police killings, since 2018, the Hawks arrested 187 suspects for the murder of police officials and 55 accused were convicted and sentenced during the same period.
“On November 3, 2019, the body of Warrant Officer Thulani Ngwabe, 51, who was stationed at Margate Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit was found on the railway lines near Port Shepstone beach with multiple stab wounds. His wife was arrested in December 2019. In June 2021, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting at Pietermaritzburg convicted and sentenced Nonkululeko Ngwabe, 46, to 22 years imprisonment for the brutal murder of her husband in what can be labelled spousal-encashment,” Lebeya said.
The case against her three accomplices is remanded in KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting at Pietermaritzburg for trial from October 3-23 2022.
Bank robberies
In another case, Lebeya said that from early 2013, the banking industry suffered a spate of robberies and by the end of 2013 the number of bank robberies had nationally increased from nine incidents in 2012 to 14 incidents in 2013. During 2014 bank robbery incidents escalated with 25 incidents; 2014 marked the year, since 2012, when the most bank robberies were reported. Analyses showed that members of the same group were repeatedly involved in bank robberies committed throughout Gauteng and its neighbouring provinces.
“A DPCI (Hawks) led Bank Robbery Task Team was established resulting in the arrest of a group of suspects for a business-related robbery in Empangeni. Twelve suspects including six Zimbabweans and six South Africans were nabbed making the organised criminal group a multinational one. The accused were charged for their alleged involvement in 20 different bank robberies.
“Authority was obtained to prosecute all the accused on two separate charges of a pattern of racketeering activities in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998. Following a long trial, the diligent investigation and prosecution team succeeded in having eight of the 10 accused convicted in the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court for 31 counts including 11 bank robberies, two patterns of racketeering activities, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearms, and malicious damage to property.”
Cash-in-transit heists
In CIT heists, Lebeya said that on February 1, 2019, Warrant Officer Musa, from the Special Task Force and Lieutenant-Colonel Carl van der Vyver from Crime Intelligence were fatally shot in a shootout with heavily armed CIT robbers in Nongoma, northern KZN. Seven suspects were also fatally wounded during the shoot-out with police on the same date.
“Sandile Gumede, 32, was arrested after the incident and was found in possession of the vehicle that was used during the robbery. Hawks members from Pietermaritzburg’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit successfully opposed bail until he was sentenced. On May 13, 2021, KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting at Pietermaritzburg sentenced Gumede to two life imprisonment terms for the double murder of the aforesaid police officers, and seven life imprisonment terms for the murder of his seven accomplices. He was further sentenced to 20 years for cash-in-transit robbery and 10 years imprisonment for each count of attempted murder. The sentences will run concurrently,” Lebeya said.
Non-ferrous metals
For non-ferrous metals, Lebeya said that in July 2012, it was discovered that cables at the Estcourt tower were stolen. A case was opened and assigned to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Pietermaritzburg.
“An investigation was conducted which led to the arrest of Ronald George, 42, in May 2016. After numerous court appearances, he pleaded guilty nearly six years later. On March 15, 2022, the Durban Regional Court sentenced him to 26 years imprisonment of which 10 is suspended for theft of Transnet copper cables worth R333 000, money laundering, pattern of racketeering activity and malicious damage to property.”
July unrest
Regarding crimes against the state, Lebeya said that regarding the July unrest instigators, it shall be recalled that the Hawks reported to have secured the attendance of eight instigators at court last year and the Hawks have not stopped the investigations since.
“In fact, multi-disciplinary teams were formed to investigate. The DPCI and the National Prosecuting Authority are satisfied that the investigation is ripe, hence the Hawks are landing… 35 suspects have appeared in court recently. The case is remanded to August 26, 2022, at Durban Magistrate’s Court.”
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