Zibi submitted formal questions to the Minister, focusing on the AGU’s funding, personnel structure, strategic approach, and support mechanisms.

Rising Budget, Unclear Results

According to the Police Ministry’s response, the AGU has received additional funding through SAPS provincial offices over the past five financial years:

• 2019/20: R12 million

• 2020/21: R22 million

• 2021/22: R24 million

• 2022/23: R28 million

• 2023/24: R34 million

Despite the steady increases, the impact on gang-related crime remains difficult to assess.

Personnel Numbers Withheld for ‘Security Reasons’

SAPS declined to provide the total number of officers in the AGU, arguing that doing so would risk operational security. However, the Ministry did share annual percentage increases in personnel:

• 2021/22: 48.4%

• 2022/23: 13.5%

• 2023/24: 10.2%

• 2024/25: 11.9%

Staffing remains provisional, with many officers placed in the AGU through service arrangements pending permanent posts being created on the PERSAL system.

The current rank composition stands at 91.3% non-commissioned officers and 8.7% commissioned officers, all operating at provincial level. Turnover rates over the last five years have ranged from 1.8% to 6.3% annually.

Western Cape Strategy: Five Pillars, Ongoing Violence

In response to Zibi’s concerns about the Western Cape, SAPS outlined a five-pillar strategy aimed at tackling gang violence:

1. Intelligence-led operations

2. Visible policing and prevention

3. Targeted enforcement in collaboration with local and national stakeholders

4. Case-by-case investigations

5. Community engagement and awareness

Despite these pillars, the province continues to struggle with high levels of gang-related crime, raising concerns about the strategy’s real-world effectiveness.

National Expansion and Training Plans

SAPS has committed to supporting the AGU through:

• Continued recruitment of new constables

• Internal promotions and annual post advertising

• Expansion of AGU presence across all nine provinces

• Reinforcement of investigation units tackling murder, robbery, taxi violence, and forensics

A dedicated Anti-Gang Learning Programme has also been introduced, and training interventions are underway. The Organised Crime Division has been tasked with coordinating gang-related investigations, supported by Operational Command Centres at district, provincial, and national levels.

The SAPS maintains that these measures aim to boost capacity and effectiveness, but the lack of hard data and continued gang violence raise questions about whether the AGU is delivering on its core mandate.

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Across all briefings, a consistent message emerged: progress has been made, but systemic delays, institutional coordination challenges, and legal bottlenecks continue to hamper the timely resolution of corruption cases.

SIU Reports on Thousands of Referrals but Highlights Tracking Challenges

The SIU, mandated to investigate maladministration and corruption in state institutions, reported that it had referred 3,374 criminal matters to the NPA between April 2020 and May 2025. These referrals span local, provincial and national government departments, as well as numerous state-owned entities.

The unit emphasised that each referral represents a person or legal entity, not necessarily an individual case docket. This has led to difficulties reconciling figures with the NPA, which clusters individuals and entities into broader cases.

To address this, the SIU has developed a Case Monitoring Mechanism in collaboration with the Presidency and State Information Technology Agency (SITA). The new digital platform went live in April 2025 and aims to create a unified system for tracking referrals, standardising case references, and reporting progress across institutions. The pilot phase covers referrals to the North Gauteng office of the NPA and will be evaluated in July for national rollout.

The SIU confirmed that the offences under referral include corruption, fraud, money laundering, public finance violations, and misconduct related to procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hawks Outline Ongoing Investigations Involving Billions in State Funds

Major General M. Makinyane of the Hawks told SCOPA that his unit is managing 355 dockets arising from SIU referrals, representing investigations involving a wide array of departments and public entities.

Out of these:

• 72 cases have resulted in guilty verdicts
• 96 are before court
• 201 are under active investigation
• 58 await prosecutorial decision

The Hawks disclosed significant financial implications, with billions of rand potentially lost or misappropriated across key sectors. Notable figures include:

• Over R126 billion under investigation within the Department of Basic Education
• Nearly R738 million related to the Department of Water and Sanitation
• Around R437 billion involving municipalities

COVID-19 procurement fraud remains a substantial focus. Of 93 pandemic-related cases, 22 are before court with 73 accused (48 individuals and 25 corporate entities). Another 59 cases are still under investigation.

The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) is also under scrutiny. Eight SIU referrals have resulted in seven active dockets and one court case involving questionable funding to non-profit entities.

NPA Reports on Prosecutions, Challenges, and High-Profile Cases

The NPA, represented by its Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU), IDAC and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), outlined the prosecution pipeline stemming from SIU referrals.

Key Highlights:

• 81 convictions in COVID-19-related prosecutions, many processed through the Fusion Centre
• 26 dockets under active investigation involving the NLC
• Major corruption trials stemming from State Capture Commission recommendations, including Transnet, Bosasa, and Estina Dairy Project

Several high-profile individuals, such as former Transnet CEO Brian Molefe, former CFO Anoj Singh, and former MP Vincent Smith, are either on trial or facing future court dates. The NPA noted, however, that some trials have been delayed by complex pre-trial motions or Section 342A inquiries, risking further postponements or even permanent stays of prosecution if not resolved efficiently.

Asset Forfeiture: Billions Frozen or Recovered, but Legal Opposition Mounts

The Asset Forfeiture Unit presented an assertive recovery record, reporting:

• 86 confiscation or forfeiture orders, totalling R4.784 billion
• 124 preservation orders, worth R12.6 billion
• Total recoveries to date of R4.3 billion

These include:

• R2.55 billion recovered from ABB in connection with Eskom contracts
• R480 million from settlements in the Tegeta/Optimum Colliery saga
• R1.115 billion from the McKinsey consultancy settlement
• Various preservation and restraint orders against assets linked to PRASA, Ethekwini Municipality, Denel, and others

The AFU stressed that while asset recovery is accelerating, many cases are heavily contested in court. For example, multiple preservation orders related to Lottery funding have been subjected to prolonged legal opposition.

The AFU also recommended possible legislative reform to the SIU Act, which currently channels all referrals through the NPA rather than directly to investigating authorities, thus adding procedural delays.

Despite the complexity and obstacles involved, the coordinated presentations painted a picture of a criminal justice system that is attempting to recalibrate itself in response to the sprawling legacy of State Capture. SCOPA was urged to continue its oversight, particularly regarding the Case Monitoring Mechanism and broader institutional coordination.

All agencies agreed on the need for sustained collaboration, policy reform, and adequate resourcing to maintain momentum in the fight against corruption. With several high-profile cases moving to trial in late 2025 and early 2026, South Africa’s legal and accountability frameworks are entering a decisive phase in their response to past public sector malfeasance.

The post SCOPA Probes State Corruption Fight: SIU, Hawks, NPA and IDAC Detail Progress and Obstacles appeared first on ProtectionWeb.