By Everson Luhanga
- Madoda Mhlongo, Siyabonga Mabhida and Prince Shezi demanded R200,000 to stop two arrests in a taxi violence murder case.
- A second group of police officers face charges for taking R10,000 cash and asking for R30,000 more at a Gauteng scrapyard.
Three Durban police officers have been convicted of corruption after they took a R200,000 bribe to avoid arresting two suspects.
The three men – Madoda Mduduzi Mhlongo (56), Siyabonga Herbert Mabhida (51) and Prince Ntsikelelo Shezi (50) – were all Warrant Officers in the Provincial Taxi Violence Unit.
The Serious Corruption Investigation team from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation arrested them in 2019. After a long trial, they were found guilty on 11 June 2025.
The case dates back to 13 March 2019, when the officers told a complainant that they were under pressure from the Director of Public Prosecutions to arrest two suspects linked to taxi violence and the murders of witnesses.
They demanded R200,000 to avoid the arrests and warned that the suspects would be arrested the same night if the money wasn’t paid.
That evening, the officers went to one of the suspects’ homes to reinforce the threat.
The matter was reported to the anti-corruption unit, which set up a sting operation. On 29 March 2019, the three officers were caught receiving the full R200,000.
They were arrested and released on R10,000 bail each after appearing in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Their trial started in March 2021 and ended with a conviction four years later. They are now in custody and will be sentenced on 19 June.
In another case, four police Constables from Gauteng – D.M. Logenberg, T.A. Petsana, V.S. Mahlatsi and J. Ndlovu – appeared in court on corruption charges after demanding R40,000 at a scrapyard.
It is alleged that they forced workers to the ground, claimed they had a tip-off about illegal activity, and threatened to arrest everyone.
They told the scrapyard owner to pay up or face arrests. The complainant gave them R10,000 in cash, and the rest was allegedly sent to one of their accounts. They also took four rolls of copper cables.
The Gauteng anti-corruption team investigated and the National Prosecuting Authority decided to charge all four officers.
Their court case in Vanderbijlpark has been postponed to 3 July 2025.
One of the accused, Constable Logenberg, is also facing other charges in a separate corruption case.
Internal disciplinary proceedings against all four officers are still ongoing.
Constables Thabiso Pule, Paul Molefe, 32, and Paseka Makena, 33, were part of the Highway Patrol Unit in Springs. They allegedly took a man they accused of illegal mining and handed him to a group of Basotho nationals.
The gang demanded R2-million for the man’s release. That figure dropped to R150,000, and finally to R20,000.
Speaking to Scrolla, Ian Cameron, chairperson of Parliament’s police portfolio committee warned that the problem runs deeper within SAPS. He said other officers charged with serious crimes were still working, listing several cases where police officers were charged but are still at work.
Pictured above: Two of the four police Constables from Gauteng who appeared in court on corruption charges after demanding R40,000 at a scrapyard.
Image source: Supplied
