AK‑47s, death threats and corruption: Hawks bust assassination scheme
· Citizen
The Hawks have smashed a deadly conspiracy to assassinate a senior government official, arresting two suspects and seizing a cache of military‑grade weapons in a breakthrough operation that exposed corruption at the heart of Human Settlements.
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Members of the East Rand Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit disrupted the plot following a two‑year probe into threats against the official, who had lodged a complaint in 2024 after blocking the illegal sale of RDP houses to non‑beneficiaries.
Intimidation
Investigators said the suspects escalated their intimidation through failed ambushes, telephonic death threats, and a shooting incident.
The accused, 49-year-old Thulani Collen Ndwandwe and 48-year-old Tonia Mphemba Hlongwane, appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where they were remanded in custody until their bail application on 13 July.
Arrests
The arrests stem from an intensive investigation initiated in 2024. This followed a formal complaint lodged by a government official from the Department of Human Settlements.
The official was being targeted by hitmen after trying actively to block internal corruption activities involving the illegal sale of government RDP houses to non-beneficiaries.
The Hawks said the duo face charges of conspiracy to commit murder under Section 18(2)(a) of the Riotous Assemblies Act.
“On 2 July, Hawks officers tracked Ndwandwe to Mpumalanga, arresting him and uncovering a staggering arsenal of weapons at his premises. The haul included an AK‑47 assault rifle, four 9mm pistols, a pump‑action shotgun, two .308 rifles and an air rifle.
“Although licensed, the cache was confiscated for urgent ballistic profiling to determine whether the weapons had been used in other violent crimes, the Hawks said.
Charges
The following day, investigators swooped on the Alberton offices of the Department of Human Settlements, arresting Hlongwane, an administrative clerk alleged to be the internal mastermind behind the assassination plot.
Digital forensic experts seized four laptops and seven cellphones from the premises for analysis.
The Hawks confirmed that both suspects were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and will remain in custody until their next court appearance.
The operation, which combined intelligence gathering, digital forensic analysis and coordinated arrests, was hailed as a significant breakthrough in the fight against corruption and organised crime.