GAUTENG – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed a specialized, multidisciplinary task force of veteran detectives and crime intelligence officers to spearhead the murder investigation surrounding the death of Andile Mvuyiselwa Somgaxa, the prominent Gauteng leader of the March and March movement.
The formation of this high-priority investigative unit was officially confirmed by Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, following strategic consultations with Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni. The probe stems from a fatal shooting on 04 July 2026, where Somgaxa was targeted in the driveway of his Greenfield, Johannesburg residence. He tragically passed away from his wounds in a medical facility five days later, on 09 July 2026.
Lieutenant General Dimpane vehemently denounced the assassination, offering a firm guarantee to the public that SAPS will exhaust every investigative avenue to track down and prosecute the culprits.
“The appointment of a multidisciplinary team underscores the seriousness with which SAPS is treating this matter,” Lieutenant General Dimpane emphasized. “We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding this murder and to ensure accountability.”
Beyond this high-profile homicide, the Acting National Commissioner delivered a resolute caution to any factions or individuals engaged in the harassment, intimidation, or violent targeting of foreign nationals, categorizing such behavior as strictly illegal and entirely unacceptable.
This directive aligns with the recent apprehension of five suspects in Lephalale, Limpopo. These individuals are accused of impersonating Department of Home Affairs officials to illegally force the eviction of foreign nationals from the Marapong township. The specific case centered on a Nigerian entrepreneur who was coerced into shutting down his enterprise after the imposters falsely asserted that foreign nationals were banned from running businesses in South Africa.
Following the incident, the Department of Home Affairs stepped in to authenticate the entrepreneur’s paperwork, conclusively proving his legal residency and his valid authorization to operate his business within the country.
Highlighting the strict boundaries of civilian authority, Lieutenant General Dimpane remarked, “The law applies equally to everyone. No individual or group has the authority to conduct immigration inspections, verify legal status, or remove people from communities. Those responsibilities rest solely with law enforcement agencies and relevant government departments.”
SAPS has issued a clear public advisory that exclusively authorized law enforcement personnel hold the mandate to perform legal status verifications and inspections across the Republic of South Africa. The police service reinforced its stance that any manifestations of vigilantism, intimidation, or violence will be met with decisive and swift legal action.