By EPN Reporter
MBABANE – A coordinated cross-border operation between the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) has brought a swift end to the search for suspects linked to the brutal killing of a South African police officer.
In the early hours of Thursday, law enforcement teams moved on intelligence pointing to the suspects’ hideouts in Nyakatfo, Hhohho Region, and Mantambe, Shiselweni Region.
At Nyakatfo, two suspects armed with a pistol opened fire on officers as they tried to flee. Security forces returned fire, fatally wounding both men. Meanwhile, in Mantambe, a third suspect took his own life with a pistol before officers could arrest him.
REPS has commended the seamless cooperation between Eswatini and South African security agencies, hailing it as a significant step in combating cross-border crime.
“This joint operation demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that criminals cannot hide behind national borders,” said a police spokesperson.
Background: The Killing of Sgt. Lauwrence Dumisani Mtshweni
The confrontation follows an intensive manhunt launched after the killing of Sergeant Lauwrence Dumisani Mtshweni (47) of Schoemansdal SAPS, Mpumalanga, on Saturday, 9 August 2025.
Sergeant Mtshweni, a veteran with 18 years of service in Visible Policing, was responding to a burglary in progress at a local business when he and his colleagues came under heavy fire from armed suspects. He sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body and later died in hospital.
The incident sparked a massive mobilisation of resources by SAPS Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, who vowed that “an attack on a police officer is an attack on the state” and urged the public to help bring the perpetrators to justice.
An integrated team, including intelligence units, detectives, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), and private sector partners, tracked the suspects into Eswatini, culminating in Thursday’s decisive operation.
A Message to Criminal Networks
Both REPS and SAPS have sent a clear warning: criminal syndicates will face relentless pursuit, even across borders. Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering joint operations, sharing intelligence, and ensuring the safety of citizens and law enforcement officers alike.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner has appealed to communities to resist shielding dangerous criminals, stressing that collective action is the key to ending such violent crimes.
“We are on the heels of these heartless criminals, and we will not rest until we find each one of them,” said Major General Mkhwanazi earlier this week.
(Pics by: Royal Eswatini Police Service)
