Cape Town – Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal hijacking and killing of an off-duty Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) officer, 26-year-old Yonke Pakade, in Philippi East, Cape Town.
According to police, Pakade was attacked on Friday night while driving along Sheffield Road.
Pakade was allegedly hijacked, stabbed multiple times, and stoned before collapsing in the nearby Marikana informal settlement while trying to escape.
His vehicle was later found abandoned a few metres from the crime scene.
A female colleague who was reportedly with him at the time managed to flee and alert the authorities.
The City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Directorate confirmed that a manhunt was immediately launched involving the South African Police Service’s Organised Crime Unit, LEAP officers, and the Khayelitsha Tactical Response Unit.
#sapsWC Police in the Western Cape have launched an investigation following the murder of an off-duty Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officer whose body was discovered during the early hours of Sunday, 12/10 in Marikana informal settlement, Philippi East. The City’s Law… pic.twitter.com/BYc27x5uJ6
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) October 12, 2025
One suspect was apprehended soon after the incident, while further intelligence led to the arrest of three additional suspects in the Covid informal settlement. A knife believed to have been used in the attack was also recovered during the arrests.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said the arrests were the result of swift cooperation between city and provincial law enforcement units. “We will continue to support SAPS in ensuring that those responsible for this heinous act face the full might of the law,” Smith wrote on his official Facebook page. He also called on the courts to deny bail to the accused, adding that the City would assist in providing all necessary evidence for prosecution.
Smith described Pakade as a “dedicated and disciplined officer” whose death was a loss to both his colleagues and the community he served. “We mourn the passing of one of our own,” he said. “Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and the LEAP team who worked alongside him daily to make our city safer.”
The City of Cape Town urged anyone with information related to the attack to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS app. The four suspects are expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of murder and hijacking.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
