Ten SANDF members have been arrested for the 2023 murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, bringing the total number of suspects to twelve.
Ten additional South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a senior official from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks.
The ten additional suspects were arrested on Monday after they handed themselves over to the Hawks investigating officers in Johannesburg.
This comes after two members were arrested at separate locations on Sunday night by members of the Johannesburg branch of the Hawks and assisting tactical units.
10 more SANDF members handed themselves over to Hawks
The suspects are believed to be linked to the 2023 murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa.
Mathipa was working for the Hawks’ Crime Against the State division when he was shot while driving along the N1 near Hammanskraal on 6 August 2023.
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“Following the shooting, Mathipa’s vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,” confirmed Hawks’ spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo.
Singo said Mathipa was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death.
All ten additional suspects — including the two arrested on Sunday — appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday afternoon to face charges of murder and kidnapping.
Case postponed to 1 July
The court postponed the case against the 12 officials to 1 July for a formal bail application. According to the Hawks, the court order prohibits the disclosure of the accused’s identities.
Investigators have also linked the suspects to the kidnapping of two male foreign nationals at a mall in Midrand on 29 December 2025.
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2nd high-profile incident
The arrests are the second high-profile incident involving military members this past weekend.
On Saturday, two SANDF soldiers were stabbed to death by a colleague at the Macadamia military base near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident remain the subject of ongoing inquiry, and further details will be communicated once officially verified,” stated SANDF spokesperson Prince Tshabalala.
“We appeal to the public and media to allow the investigative processes to unfold without speculation and to respect the dignity and privacy of the affected families during this difficult time,” he advised.
