25/08/2025
A detective from the South African Police Services (SAPS) was killed while allegedly trying to commit a robbery in Belfast, Mpumalanga, on Friday night. Three accomplices were arrested. Police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli reported that a group of armed men pretended to be police officers and ambushed occupants of a VW Polo who had stopped by the roadside. The victims were threatened and ordered to lie down. Fortunately, members of the SAPS Anti-Hijack Task Team and the Middelburg K9 Unit, who were patrolling the area to prevent robberies, noticed the suspicious behavior and approached, identifying themselves as police. The suspects fired shots and fled in a white Datsun Go. A high-speed chase followed, ending when the getaway vehicle crashed into a tree on Bhekumuzi Masango Drive. Police managed to corner the suspects and found the body of a 54-year-old Pienaar SAPS detective in the car. Authorities believe the officer may have been fatally injured during the gunfire exchange, and investigations are ongoing. Two fi****ms and ammunition were recovered at the scene. The fourth suspect, who ran away, was captured later near the N4 towards Machadodorp. A state vehicle belonging to Pienaar Detectives was also found at a nearby farm, and investigators are looking into whether it was used in the crime without permission. The arrested suspects, aged 30 to 42, are facing several charges, including attempted hijacking, robbery with a firearm, attempted murder, and illegal possession of fi****ms and ammunition. They are scheduled to appear in the Belfast Magistrate's Court on Monday. Mpumalanga Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, condemned the detective's involvement in the crime, stating that it is shameful for someone sworn to uphold the law to be found on the wrong side of it. He emphasized that the SAPS distances itself from criminal activities and that members must choose to fight crime or face consequences for their actions.
