PIETERMARITZBURG, KwaZulu-Natal – Authorities are closing in on a reckless suspect dubbed “Spiderman” who has been causing concern in Pietermaritzburg.
The Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and Msunduzi Traffic are actively pursuing the individual.
Officials say the suspect appears emboldened and out of control.
The pursuit forms part of coordinated efforts by the two traffic agencies to apprehend the suspect in the KZN city. No further details on the nature of the concern or the suspect’s activities have been released in the latest update, but the operation remains ongoing as authorities continue to narrow their focus on the individual.
The development has drawn attention in the Pietermaritzburg area, where the suspect’s actions have prompted a direct response from both the provincial Road Traffic Inspectorate and the local Msunduzi Traffic department. Officials have confirmed that the pursuit is active, with resources from both agencies deployed in the operation.
According to the latest information available, the suspect continues to be the subject of this targeted effort. The statement from officials describing the individual as emboldened and out of control underscores the seriousness with which the matter is being treated by law enforcement.
Members of the public in Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas have been indirectly affected by the situation that has led to this intensified pursuit, though specific incidents linked to the suspect have not been detailed beyond the ongoing concern reported in the area.
The operation by the RTI and Msunduzi Traffic is expected to continue until the suspect is apprehended. Authorities have not issued any additional statements at this stage regarding the progress of the pursuit or any potential charges.
JMPD Officer Lindani Moses Maleka Fatally Shot While Off Duty in Orange Farm
Johannesburg, 14 April 2026 – The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has confirmed the death of one of its officers, 30-year-old Lindani Moses Maleka, who was shot and killed while off duty on the evening of 13 April 2026.
According to the department, the incident took place at Sizanani Street in Extension 6A, Orange Farm. Officer Maleka had just finished his shift and had driven to the area to visit a female companion. He was seated inside his vehicle when unidentified suspects approached.
Preliminary reports indicate that the suspects forcibly removed the female passenger from the vehicle before opening fire on Officer Maleka. He sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by Emergency Medical Services personnel.
The officer’s service firearm was not taken during the attack. A case of murder has been opened at the Orange Farm South African Police Service (SAPS) station.
JMPD Chief of Police Commissioner Patrick Jaca expressed the department’s shock at the killing. “The department is devastated by this senseless act of violence. We lose not just a colleague, but a protector of this city. Our deepest condolences go out to the Maleka family and his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” he said.
The JMPD has described the shooting as a tragic loss for the department and the city it serves. Investigations are ongoing, with all relevant role players remaining on high alert.
Members of the public who may have information about the incident or the identities of the suspects are urged to come forward. Information can be provided to the investigating team or submitted anonymously through the SAPS Crime Stop line on 08600 10111.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department issued the statement through its Communications Unit on Tuesday afternoon.
Kranskop CIT Robbery: Suspect Found Dead in Abandoned Vehicle as Manhunt Launched for Remaining Accomplices
KwaZulu-Natal police are continuing their search for the remaining members of a large group of suspects following a cash-in-transit robbery in Kranskop on Monday, April 13.
One suspect was discovered dead on Tuesday, April 14, inside a vehicle that had been abandoned on a gravel road near the Tugela River, in the direction of Nkandla. According to preliminary information, the man had injured himself while preparing explosives during the robbery in the Kranskop central business district the previous day.
The cash-in-transit vehicle was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash. Three security guards on duty were also robbed of their firearms.
Four other vehicles were hijacked at the scene and used by the group as getaway vehicles. During the robbery, shots were fired in the direction of a police station. No police officers or members of the public were injured in the incident.
Authorities have confirmed that a manhunt is now underway for the additional suspects involved. Police believe the group numbered at least 12 people in total.
The robbery took place in the central business district of Kranskop during the day on Monday, April 13. The exact circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death have not yet been made public, but initial reports indicate he sustained injuries while handling explosives intended for use in the heist.
No further details have been released about the identities of the suspects or the precise route taken by the getaway vehicles after the robbery. Investigations are ongoing, with police urging anyone with information to come forward.
This incident marks the latest in a series of cash-in-transit heists reported in the province, highlighting the continued threat posed by organised groups targeting security vehicles in the region.
- One suspect was killed and four others were arrested following a police shooting in Athlone, Cape Town, on Monday.
- Suspected Poachers Confronted by Member of the Public at Schoenmakerskop
- Three Suspects Shot Dead Following Armed Robbery at Jewellery Store in Highveld Mall, eMalahleni
- Two Suspects Killed in Highveld Mall Jewellery Store Armed Robbery as Manhunt Continues for Armed Fugitives
- Firearms and Ammunition Recovered from Alberton Storage Unit by Ekurhuleni Metro Police
Ormonde Shootout: Video Footage Emerges of Fatal Armed Robbery in Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG – Dramatic video footage has surfaced showing the moments of a deadly shootout in Ormonde last week, during which two businessmen were killed in a brazen armed robbery.
Watch video here
The victims were part of a cash-in-transit convoy that came under attack by heavily armed suspects. Yusuf Modan demonstrated bravery by turning his vehicle around to assist his colleagues who were under fire. By that stage, Abdul Hamid Moosa had already been fatally wounded. Modan was later shot and killed as he confronted the attackers. A security guard was also seriously injured in the incident.
According to details of the attack, the suspects ambushed the convoy, triggering a high-speed chase and exchange of gunfire. One suspect was killed and another was injured during the confrontation, while the remaining robbers fled the scene with the stolen cash.
Investigations by the South African Police Service are continuing.
