The national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, has expressed his confidence in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to take cases to court, revealing that the Hawks is currently investigating more than 19 000 cases.

Outlining the progress made by the investigating unit during the 2023/24 period to tackle crime, Lebeya stressed the need for greater financial and personnel resources as the investigating unit tackles its large caseload.

He highlighted 30 cases, which is 3% of the 1 045 successes experienced during this quarter, and added that at least 801 suspects were arrested, which resulted in 244 convictions.

He said that the top five national priority offences that resulted in a high number of arrests included 173 for fraud, 172 for precious metals and diamonds, 52 for narcotics, 48 for cash-in-transit robberies and 37 for corruption.

In highlighting the breakdown of the nationalities of the 791 perpetrators, Lebeya noted that there were 570 South Africans and 221 foreign nationals involved.   

During this quarter, the Hawks also seized exhibits of precious metals and diamonds, endangered species, vehicles, cash, firearms, ammunition, counterfeit goods, explosives and electronic devices worth R92 407 269. 

Fraud was the offence with the highest number of convictions during this quarter, constituting 75 of the 244 reported cases, followed by precious metals and diamonds with 51.

Lebeya has decried the deadly assault on police officials in the country with 35 police officials having been murdered in the second quarter.

“Attacks on police officials are an attack on the State and the death of one police official is one too many,” said Lebeya. 

In relation to the murder of police officials, he noted that five accused in this matter were to share 10 life imprisonment sentences and a combined 391 years in prison.

In addressing the facilitation of justice, Lebeya has also expressed confidence in the NPA and its ability to finalise cases in court. He confirmed that the names of charged suspects remained on the court roll and alluded to the difficulty in administering justice in criminal matters. 

“We can’t lose confidence in the NPA. They are the ones that do prosecution. We, as the Hawks, only conduct investigations and provide what they require of us in order for them to argue these matters, and what we should keep in mind is that these matters must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. It differs from when you deal with a civil case where at times we deal with the attachment and confiscation of assets,” said Lebeya.

He has also alluded to the enactment of sufficient measures to deal with crime during the festive season.