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Four Police Officers Arrested for Alleged Theft of R1.8 Million from Zama Zama Kingpin

Published November 18, 2024
3 months ago

In the shadow of the burgeoning illegal mining trade in South Africa, four police officials from the Barberton Detective Services now find themselves on the wrong side of the law, facing serious charges for theft and the obstruction of justice. Sergeants Danisile Precious Mahlangu, Mandla Ndlovu, Bongani Dlamini, and Doctor Zulu were apprehended in a joint sting operation on November 14, drawing a stark line between law enforcement and criminality.





The group's arrest was the culmination of stringent efforts by the Nelspruit-based Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation, Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and Mpumalanga Crime Intelligence. Their official court appearance on November 15 sparked significant commentary on the state of police integrity and the considerable challenge illegal mining—commonly referred to as "zama zama"—poses to South Africa's legal frameworks and law enforcement agencies.


According to police reports, the accused officers allegedly conducted a search at a zama zama paymaster's home on the day of their arrest. It was during this event that they are purported to have discovered and illicitly appropriated R1.8 million, which was hidden in a wardrobe. This brazen act was compounded by their further alleged detention of the paymaster's son at the police station without proper documentation or the registration of an official case.


Their attempt to deflect the course of justice appeared momentarily successful when they returned to the station, under the directive of summoned Crime Intelligence officials, with only a fraction of the original sum—R200,000—claiming it was all that was found. This poorly executed cover-up unraveled as the paymaster’s son instigated a formal complaint against the quartet, prompting further investigations and their ensuing arrest.


Major General Zodwa Gerber of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation expressed his approval of the swift and decisive action taken in arresting the alleged rogue officers. His words emphatically reiterated the Hawks' commitment to holding their officers to account and to combat corrupt activities tirelessly and impartially.


South Africa's police services remain on high alert as they navigate the fine line between policing the local zama zamais and falling prey to the lucrative temptations that the illegal trade presents. The fate of the accused officials now hangs in the balance as they await their bail application set to occur on November 19, their careers, and potentially their freedom, resting on the scales of justice.


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