Hero cop shot dead while stopping burglary — ten suspects on the run

Two female officers

Cape Town — Sergeant Lauwrence Dumisani Mtshweni (47) of the Schoemansdal SAPS was shot and killed in the early hours of Saturday, 9 August 2025, during a business burglary incident near Komatipoort, in Mpumalanga.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), Sergeant Mtshweni and his colleagues responded to a call reporting a burglary in progress at a local business around 02:45.

Upon arrival, the officers assessed the situation but were ambushed by approximately ten armed suspects.

During the attack, Sergeant Mtshweni was shot in the upper body and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.

Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS Mpumalanga, confirmed that all available resources have been deployed to track down the suspects.

An integrated task team comprising Intelligence Operatives, Detectives, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the Mpumalanga Provincial Tracking Team, and private sector partners is conducting an intensive manhunt.

Sergeant Mtshweni served under Visible Policing at Schoemansdal Police Station and had 18 years of service with the SAPS.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner urged the public to assist law enforcement by providing any information on the suspects’ whereabouts. Citizens can report tips confidentially via the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or through the MySAPS App, with anonymity guaranteed.

“An attack on Police Officers is an attack to the state,” Mkhwanazi said.

“We call on communities to cooperate with us as the Police and avail information that will help to trace these dangerous criminals. We are on the heels of these heartless criminals and will not rest until we find each one of them.”

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