Key Points:
- 656 suspects arrested nationwide. Police seized 395 firearms and over 1,700 rounds of ammunition.
- 22 police officers killed, prompting the Hawks to label these murders a national priority.
- Seven drug labs dismantled and narcotics worth R23 million confiscated.
Surge in Arrests and Major Seizures Across Provinces
Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), presented a sweeping overview of the unit’s efforts from January to March 2025. Police arrested 656 suspects during this period. Gauteng accounted for 139 of those arrests. North West followed with 99, and KwaZulu-Natal recorded 88.
In the course of these operations, officers confiscated 395 firearms and 1,746 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, they shut down seven illegal drug laboratories. The street value of the seized drugs exceeded R23 million.
Hawks Secure Convictions and Freeze Millions in Criminal Assets
Lebeya praised the Priority Crime Specialized Investigation (PCSI) unit for issuing 102 freezing and forfeiture orders. These orders totaled more than R418 million. Of that amount, preservation orders alone accounted for over R370 million.
The Hawks deposited more than R19 million into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA). Furthermore, courts convicted 239 individuals, reinforcing the Hawks’ commitment to justice and transparency.
Attacks on Police Declared a National Emergency
According to Lebeya, criminals killed 22 police officers within three months. Sixteen of those officers were off-duty at the time of their deaths. Gauteng recorded half of these killings.
Lebeya strongly condemned the attacks. He called them “an assault on society and the state.” He emphasized that the Hawks had classified the murders of police officers as national priority crimes. Investigators arrested 38 suspects linked to these killings. Courts handed down 14 convictions, including 11 life sentences. Moreover, sentences added up to 487 years of imprisonment.
Hawks Tackle Corruption in Uniform and CIT Heists
The Hawks also arrested 33 corrupt law enforcement officers. These included 19 traffic officers and 14 SAPS members. They committed crimes such as fraud, corruption, murder, robbery, and obstruction of justice.
Of these, six officers received convictions for defeating the ends of justice, conspiracy to commit robbery, and other serious offenses. In addition, the Hawks responded to 50 cash-in-transit (CIT) heists during the quarter. They arrested 64 suspects involved in these crimes. Police fatally shot 10 suspects during armed shootouts. Courts convicted 13 others in CIT-related cases.
Crackdown on Kidnappings and Financial Offenses
The Hawks Q1 crime report also revealed 24 reported kidnappings. Police arrested 35 suspects in connection with these incidents. Among them, 28 were South African nationals while seven were foreign nationals.
Investigators also focused on financial crimes. They arrested 78 suspects for tax-related offenses and secured 37 convictions. These results underscored the Hawks’ broader strategy of dismantling serious and organized crime networks.
Lebeya reaffirmed the agency’s mission. “We will continue to execute our mandate without fear, favor, or prejudice,” he stated. “We remain guided by the Constitution and laws of the Republic.” Indeed, the Hawks Q1 crime report signals a strong, deliberate effort to protect communities and uphold justice.
