Hawks arrest suspect in 2020 Badplaas police station attack
The 42-year-old was taken into custody at Kanyamazane on Tuesday night and is expected in court today on charges linked to a string of violent crimes dating back six years.
A six-year manhunt ended shortly before 11pm on Tuesday when the Hawks arrested a 42-year-old suspect linked to the 2020 attack on Badplaas Police Station and a string of violent crimes across Mpumalanga.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, said the suspect was taken into custody at Kanyamazane on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, in a joint operation involving its Secunda Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit, the Nelspruit Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit, the Provincial Tracking Team and the Tactical Response Team from Nelspruit.
He is expected to appear before the Kanyamazane Magistrate’s Court today, 23 September 2026, to face the outstanding charges.
The case dates back to 17 September 2020, when Badplaas Police Station was attacked and four firearms, including an R5 rifle, were stolen. No arrests were made at the time.
Shortly afterwards, Elukwatini Cash & Carry was targeted in an armed robbery. Police officials who responded were confronted by the suspects, and one officer was shot and injured. Cash and other items were stolen.
Investigators later received information identifying suspects. Several were arrested and an identification parade linked five of them to the Badplaas and Elukwatini cases. The matter was struck off the court roll in 2023 pending the finalisation of forensic evidence.
While the accused were out of custody, they were allegedly involved in another serious incident in Elukwatini, where a police official was reportedly kidnapped and robbed of a Toyota GD-6. The accused were arrested again and the matter was transferred back to the Elukwatini Magistrates’ Court.
After the forensic laboratory report was received, the outstanding cases were reinstated and the accused returned to court. Bail was initially refused. During 2025, the accused returned to court on new facts and bail was granted. The suspect then allegedly failed to attend court, and a warrant made him a wanted person.
The Hawks said they kept pursuing him until Tuesday night’s arrest.
Major General Nico Gerber, the provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, welcomed the arrest and commended the multidisciplinary team for keeping the manhunt alive.
“Serious and violent crimes against police officials and the theft of police firearms strike at the very foundation of law enforcement and public safety,” Gerber said. “The passage of time does not diminish our commitment to pursuing those who are wanted for such offences. This arrest demonstrates that our investigators and operational teams remain relentless in tracking down wanted suspects and ensuring that they are brought before the courts to answer for their alleged crimes.”
The Hawks said suspects who evade court proceedings should not regard their freedom as permanent, and that investigators and operational teams will continue working together to locate and apprehend wanted persons.
This account is drawn from the South African Police Service media statement on the arrest, which summarises the investigation rather than reproducing the underlying court record. The suspect has not been convicted on the outstanding charges.
Source: South African Police Service (SAPS), Hawks re-arrest wanted suspect linked to police station attack and armed robberies
