Cape Town - The details of the top 10 most wanted criminals in the Western Cape have released by the South African police. They are believed to be behind a range of heinous crimes including murder and robbery dating back more than 20 years ago.
This week, Weekend Argus received profiles of the provinces 10 most sought after criminals from the police, in the hope that the publicity would help to finally catch them.
Police spokesperson, Anelisiwe Manyanga, said the top 10 profiles shared were of suspects wanted for various crimes relating to sexual offences, murder, robbery and possession of unlicensed firearm.
Out of the 10 profiles shared, one is of a woman wanted for a murder in Hermanus in June 2017. Details of the crime were not given.
The profiles are of suspects in crimes dating between 2003 and 2019, with five relating to murder cases which have yet to be solved.
National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola confirmed that Interpol SA had 48 pending extradition (judicial) matters, “These include amongst others two brothers, Siyabonga Ndimane and Malusi Ndimane who are currently in Eswatini and are wanted in South Africa in connection with the AKA and Tebello murder case.”
“Pending extradition matters also involve the case of Michael Lomas, a former Eskom contract worker who is wanted in connection with a R745-million fraud and corruption case at Eskom’s Kusile power facility.
“We also have the Black Axe eight swindlers who are wanted in the USA for fraud, they are still in custody and are awaiting to be extradited back to the USA.”
Police recently revealed to another publication that there were 533 wanted people in the country, with an additional 146 suspects who were being sought internationally.
A total of 116 were wanted for rape and two for attempted rape while seven were wanted for attempted murder, 36 for murder and four for culpable homicide cases and 14 for escaping unlawful custody.
Local crime fighters are calling on police to continue sharing the profiles as crime continues to increase. They also want case dockets to be closed and repeat offenders to be monitored.
Police revealed that suspect number one, Niel Fortuin was still at large for possession of an unlicensed firearm in Atlantis dating back to February 2003.
Second on the list is Chinewemwe Kambayi, who is wanted for a murder in May 2016 in Delft.
Xolani Ndlela is sought for a sexual assault in Knysna which took place in October 2017.
Kudakwashe Nogona is being traced by police for a robbery in Grassy Park in November 2018.
In another case in Atlantis, Sipho Xolwa is wanted for a rape case in November 2018.
Xolisile Damane is a suspect in a murder in December 2016 in Khayelitsha.
Hout Bay is also on the list, with Thulani Bezana wanted for pointing a firearm in May 2015.
Sikhonathi Ndyavuthwa is believed to be behind a murder which took place in September 2019 in Kwanonqaba in Mossel Bay.
Prince Fayo is wanted by Delft Police for a murder in July 2019.
Lynn Phillips of the Cape Town Safety Forum welcomed the release of the profiles b y the police, but said it should become a regular occurrence “I hope that this will lead to successful case dockets and thorough investigation and capturing of information, so we as civil society can be clear on how deeply rooted the involvement of the suspects in crime is.”
She added, “We also share our dismay as this was supposed to be the core function of crime intelligence which is seriously an indication of Saps for failure to execute their mandate
“So we welcome this initiative but we don't just want profiling, we want positive outcomes and this will result in repeat offenders not doing the same crime again. Police should now target hardened criminals who run amok in our communities amok and are ruthless killers and gunslingers.”
Crime activist Michael Jacobs said it was a concern that criminals remained out on the streets and not behind bars.
“The mere fact that so many wanted and dangerous criminals are walking freely around and in plain sight within our communities is an issue of grave concern.
“The authorities should at every police station on a daily basis release information on wanted criminals to the community, through your local Community Police Forum (CPF) and neighbourhood watch structures.
“Another medium of reporting could be your local community newspapers within different residential suburbs which come out on a weekly basis.
“It is indeed important that the police release information pertaining to wanted suspects timeously to the public to ensure that further risk to the community posed by these criminals is minimised,” he said.
According to South Africa’s Interpol, Nkosi Dan Wilson, remains one of the most wanted persons in South Africa at the ripe old age of 72.
He is wanted for a crime relating to the Games Act and is from Mpumalanga, and speaks three languages, English, Swati and Zulu.
Masemola said inroads had been made globally in tracing criminals in South Africa who were wanted, and referenced cases such as the Black Axe.
In April 2022, the alleged international crime syndicate was suspected of swindling a US-based company out of euros and was taken down in raids across Johannesburg and Cape Town led by police in collaboration with international partners. It led to the arrest of eight people allegedly linked to a Nigerian organised crime syndicate that specialised in online fraud.
Another is an Israeli gang leader who was arrested in 2022 after being wanted by Interpol since 2015 which issued a red notice. He is alleged to be part of a notorious gang dealing in drug trafficking, extortion and other criminal activities. In this operation, 12 firearms including five assault rifles, seven pistols and US$40 000 were seized.