Hawks foil alleged assassination plot against senior govt official probing corruption

Guns

Johannesburg – The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has arrested two suspects, including a Department of Human Settlements administrative clerk, for allegedly plotting to assassinate a senior government housing official who had been trying to stop corruption involving the illegal sale of RDP houses.

The suspects, Thulani Collen Ndwandwe (49) and Tonia Mphemba Hlongwane (48), appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court and were remanded in custody. They are expected to return to court on 13 July 2026 for a formal bail application.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the arrests followed a lengthy investigation by the Hawks’ East Rand Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit that began in 2024 after the targeted official lodged a formal complaint.

Police allege the official became the target of hitmen after attempting to prevent internal corruption involving the unlawful sale of government-subsidised RDP houses to people who were not legitimate beneficiaries.

“The official was being targeted by hitmen after trying actively to block internal corruption activities involving the illegal sale of government RDP houses to non-beneficiaries,” polie said in a statement.
“The suspects escalated their intimidation through multiple failed ambush attempts, telephonic death threats, and a shooting incident.”

Following intelligence-driven investigations, officers identified the alleged perpetrators and obtained warrants for their arrest.

On 2 July 2026, investigators arrested one of the suspects in Mpumalanga, where a search of the premises uncovered a cache of firearms and ammunition.

Police said the weapons seized included an AK-47 assault rifle, four 9mm pistols, an automatic pump-action shotgun, two .308 high-calibre rifles and an air rifle.

Although the suspect is licensed to possess the firearms, police confiscated the entire arsenal and ammunition for ballistic testing to determine whether the weapons had been used in other violent crimes.

The following day, investigators, assisted by the Hawks’ Digital Forensic Investigation Unit, arrested the second suspect at the Alberton offices of the Department of Human Settlements.

Police believe the administrative clerk was the alleged internal mastermind behind the assassination plot.

During the operation, investigators seized four laptops and seven cellular phones, which will undergo digital forensic analysis as part of the ongoing investigation.

Both accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder under Section 18(2)(a) of the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1956.

The investigation is continuing.

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