Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

08 December 2025

The Hawks Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation secured the attendance of four police officials before Evander Magistrate’s Court today, Monday, 08 November 2025.

The four officials were charged on 17 November 2025 and summoned to court following a lengthy investigation that was initiated since January 2025. According to information, the quartet were conducting their normal duties near the N17 toll plaza when they stopped and searched a truck that was en route from Piet Retief to Springs, Gauteng Province. 

The passenger, a foreign national, was given a lift by the truck driver. Upon searching the truck, police allegedly took a catalytic converter, two cell phones, and R3 500 in cash belonging to the victim, a foreign national. 

It is also alleged that both the victim and the truck driver were forced into the back of separate police vehicles. The police vehicles followed each other for a while before the vehicle with the truck driver made a U- turn.

The victim alleged that he was dropped off at a secluded dark area. He realised that there were lights in the distance. When trying to get to the lights, he realised that he was already in Delmas main road to Leslie. He hitchhiked a lift with another truck that dropped him off at Leslie police station, where he registered a case.

The case was handed over to the Hawks for further investigation. After conducting a professional investigation, four police officials,  Constable Thabo Mnisi (23), Sergeant Siyabonga Mbonani (32), Sergeant Modishe Mokabane (46) and Constable Sifiso Mazibuko (41) were linked to the case and summoned to court with the first court appearance scheduled for Monday, 08 December 2025.

All four accused appeared before Evander Magistrate’s Court, where the case was postponed to 02 February 2026.

The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, commended the efforts displayed by the investigation team. “No one is above the law. Our members should answer for their unlawful conduct. We will always perform our investigation without fear or favour, and there is no place for corrupt officials in the police,” added the General.