PRETORIA – Two high-ranking government officials deployed within the Mpumalanga Office of the Premier have been arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Tshwane District Organised Crime Investigation unit in connection with the brutal assassination of senior forensic investigator Mabidi Mashaba.

The breakthrough comes after an extensive investigation into the September 2023 ambush. Mashaba was targeted while commuting from Mpumalanga to Pretoria, where hitmen sprayed his vehicle with more than 20 bullets. The attackers stole his state-issued work laptop and sensitive investigation dossiers before fleeing the scene. Mashaba later succumbed to his severe gunshot injuries in the hospital. At the time of his death, he was spearheading a high-stakes probe into a syndicate of provincial government employees who had allegedly secured their positions using fraudulent qualifications.

The first suspect, Eckson Mkondo, has already appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. His case has been remanded to 4 June 2026 for a formal bail application. The second provincial government official is scheduled to make a first court appearance on Friday, 29 May 2026, facing identical charges.

Acting National Commissioner of SAPS, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, highly commended the investigative team for their dedication. Dimpane emphasized that the arrests demonstrate the police’s unwavering commitment to solving serious organised crime and delivering justice, re-iterating that law enforcement will root out criminality regardless of the suspects’ political positions, titles, or social status.