Police officers arrested in Lydenburg robbery

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga has arrested four police officers from Limpopo and one civilian in connection with a house robbery in Lydenburg (Mashishing).

The suspects, aged between 29 and 41, were apprehended in the early hours of Friday, 10 October 2025, after police responded swiftly to a robbery in progress. The victims, believed to be Ethiopian nationals, were asleep when armed suspects stormed their home around 23h50 on Thursday evening.

Three vehicles were allegedly used during the robbery: a grey Toyota double-cab bakkie, a private vehicle, and a marked SAPS VW Golf GTI belonging to the Polokwane Flying Squad. The private vehicle fled the scene with boxes of suspected illicit cigarettes and cash.

At the scene, police seized the Toyota bakkie and the marked VW Golf. Officers also recovered illicit cigarettes valued at approximately R1.5 million and R950,000 in cash. Investigators found that the registration plates had been tampered with using black sellotape, and ammunition was also confiscated.

Two of the arrested officers were in possession of their official service firearms, which have been seized. All five suspects remain in custody and are expected to appear in the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 13 October 2025, facing charges of house robbery. Additional charges may follow.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, has taken over the case. Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, has stated that “No one is above the law. We will not tolerate any form of criminality within our ranks. The swift arrest of these individuals demonstrates our zero-tolerance approach to corruption and criminal behaviour.”