Hawks boost crime-fighting account with R8m

Fentanyl has made its way into local drug network, Hawks head Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya warns

South Africa’s crime-fighting Criminal Assets Recovery Account (Cara) has received an R8.1m boost in the second quarter, according to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (DPCI, or the Hawks) latest report, which also warns that the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl is making its way into the nation.

Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya delivered the report in Pretoria on Sunday, saying the Hawks had made significant inroads in identifying and apprehending criminals connected to high-profile incidents, guaranteeing the victims’ rights to justice.

The Hawks head reported 75 freezing and forfeiture orders tallying R72.9m had been issued in the period, with assistance from Priority Crime Specialised Investigation. Lebeya said this pushed the total recorded successes for arrests, convictions and attachment of assets to 1,194. Concurrently R8.1m has been credited to Cara.

After a judicial forfeiture or confiscation order, money and property are put into Cara, a distinct account inside the National Revenue Fund. The money is used in law enforcement to support the prosecution and police in fighting crime and assisting victims of crime.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority’s 2024 annual report, payments into Cara increased from R167m in the 2019/20 financial year to R835.3m by February 28. Many crime-fighting institutions make deposits into the account.

In July the newly elected portfolio committee on police raised concerns over the continued capacity shortages in crime intelligence and detectives within the police service. Police minister Senzo Mchunu has raised similar concerns, highlighting in his budget speech that there was an urgent need for a more strategic and consolidated response to organised crime, saying it “imposes a real existential threat to our economy and democracy”.

In a bid to remedy the shortfall, the government had earmarked medium-term budgets of R71.3bn and R15.1bn, respectively, for detective services and crime intelligence, with the funds expected to relieve some pressure.

On Sunday Lebeya reported in July the Hawks received 240 graduates of different areas, including law, who were hired as entry-level police constables. This was a portion of the 10,000 trainees hired during the previous fiscal year 2023/24.

The Hawks — whose mandate is to investigate organised crime, corruption and other serious crimes referred to it by the president or another division of the police — reported 818 suspects, including 800 people and 18 juristic persons or entities, were secured before the courts in the country in the period. 

This was a jump from the 673 suspects nabbed in the first quarter. 

“The arrests targeted people involved in serious corruption, serious organised crime, serious commercial crime including fraud, theft, money-laundering, police killings, cash-in-transit robberies, illegal mining, drug trafficking, damage to essential infrastructure and trafficking in endangered species,” said Lebeya.

Among the arrests the Hawks counted:

• former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste, on whom the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) imposed a R475m fine but who later allegedly committed suicide.
• former director Stephanus Johannes Grobler, who is accused of fraud, a pattern of racketeering activities and contravention of the Financial Markets Act; and
• former Steinhoff CFO Ben La Grange, who last week was sentenced to 10 years in prison, five of which were suspended, after pleading guilty to one charge of fraud in the Steinhoff saga.

“The DPCI shall continue to execute its mandate without fear, favour or prejudice in accordance with the constitution and other laws of the republic,” he said. 

Fentanyl warning

While lauding the advancements made by law enforcement, Lebeya warned that fentanyl, a strong synthetic opioid that has killed more than 107,000 this year alone, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency of the US, was creeping into SA’s drug routes.

One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people, the report read.

Highlighting that drug trafficking was one of the most visible transnational organised crimes perpetrated by international organised criminal groups, Lebeya called on South Africans to do more to discourage drug demand.

“While dagga, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and nyaope have been in the hands of traffickers, a more highly potent synthetic opioid called fentanyl has entered the trafficking conveyor belts,” said Lebeya.

“In July one suspect was arrested in Cape Town with fentanyl. He reported to have received the drug from someone in Johannesburg to try the market in Cape Town.

“Drug traffickers mix it with the known drugs and [it] becomes highly toxic, with those who take it dying of overdose,” warned Lebeya.

A total of R17.4m was recovered from the dismantling of seven illegal drug labs, according to the report.

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