Hawks foil alleged assassination plot, seize AK‑47 and other weapons

According to The Citizen, the Hawks say they have disrupted a conspiracy to assassinate a senior government official, arresting two people and seizing a cache of military‑grade weapons after a multi‑year probe.

Breakthrough after two‑year investigation

According to The Citizen, members of the East Rand Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit halted the alleged plot following a two‑year probe into threats made against the official, who had lodged a complaint in 2024 after blocking the illegal sale of RDP houses to non‑beneficiaries.

Escalating intimidation and arrests

According to The Citizen, investigators said the suspects had escalated their intimidation through failed ambushes, telephonic death threats, and a shooting incident. Two accused 49‑year‑old Thulani Collen Ndwandwe and 48‑year‑old Tonia Mphemba Hlongwane appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court and were remanded in custody until their bail application on 13 July.

Weapons haul and digital evidence

According to The Citizen, Hawks officers tracked Ndwandwe to Mpumalanga on 2 July, arresting him and uncovering an arsenal at his premises that included:

• an AK‑47 assault rifle
• four 9mm pistols
• a pump‑action shotgun
• two .308 rifles
• an air rifle

According to The Citizen, the Hawks said the weapons, although licensed, were confiscated for urgent ballistic profiling to determine whether they had been used in other violent crimes.

According to The Citizen, the following day investigators arrested Hlongwane at the Alberton offices of the Department of Human Settlements. Digital forensic experts seized four laptops and seven cellphones from the premises for analysis.

Charges and investigation progress

According to The Citizen, the Hawks confirmed both suspects were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and will remain in custody until their next court appearance.

What the Hawks called a significant breakthrough

According to The Citizen, the operation combined intelligence gathering, digital forensic analysis and coordinated arrests, and was hailed as a significant breakthrough in the fight against corruption and organised crime.