JMPD
1Min
South Africa
Oct 23, 2025
A major scandal has erupted within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies after seven members of the Public Order Policing unit were arrested for allegedly transporting illegal gold during a targeted operation by the JMPD Tactical Response Unit . The arrests have intensified tensions between the SAPS and the JMPD.
The Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of SAPS, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, confirmed that the arrested POP members were taken into custody in Booysens on Wednesday. They face charges of corruption, extortion, and kidnapping after allegedly extorting a man found in possession of unrefined gold. The SAPS Provincial Anti-Corruption team is investigating, and the suspects are expected to appear in the Booysens Magistrate’s Court soon.
“The investigation will be thorough,” said Lieutenant General Mthombeni. “I have faith that the Anti-Corruption Unit will conduct a diligent investigation that ensures criminality and corruption are rooted out of the service.”
The man allegedly extorted by the officers will also face charges under the Precious Metals Act.
The arrests followed an earlier confrontation between the JMPD TRU and SAPS officers from Bekkersdal a few days ago, which has exposed deep fractures within law enforcement in Gauteng.
City of Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, accused SAPS members of acting unlawfully when they arrested five JMPD TRU officers and two Vehicle Recovery Unit members during a vehicle recovery operation. Tshwaku described the arrests as “a disturbing act of interference” and said they reflected “a troubling pattern of hostility that undermines law enforcement collaboration and endangers public safety.”
According to Tshwaku, the JMPD TRU had been conducting a legitimate operation on 17 October 2025 to recover a stolen vehicle when SAPS officers arrived unannounced and detained them. The JMPD claimed that the recovered vehicle belonged to a suspected illegal mining kingpin operating in the West Rand.
Tshwaku alleged that SAPS officers confiscated the JMPD officers’ firearms, phones, and vehicles before detaining them without due process. “Our members were performing their lawful duties,” he said. “This incident raises serious questions about possible conflicts of interest and whether certain individuals within SAPS are protecting criminal networks rather than prioritising public safety.”
He further stated that JMPD internal investigators were chased away from the Bekkersdal police station when they sought clarity on the arrests. Tshwaku has since called on the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner to initiate an independent investigation into the conduct of the Bekkersdal officers.
However, SAPS has strongly defended its members. Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the arrests were made in line with the law after community members reported suspicious activity.
“The swift response by SAPS members followed reports from residents, as the district has recently faced an increase in house robberies and vehicle hijackings carried out by suspects posing as law enforcement officers using blue-light vehicles,” Muridili said.
She added that the West Rand district was on high alert for crimes committed by people impersonating metro and traffic officers. “During recent engagements, residents were warned about this threat and urged to remain vigilant,” she said.
Brigadier Muridili also noted that SAPS was strengthening partnerships with community policing forums, patrollers, and private security companies through initiatives such as Business Against Crime South Africa’s Eyes and Ears project. Between July and September, these collaborations led to the arrest of 42 suspects linked to hijackings and the recovery of 40 stolen vehicles.
While SAPS insists its members acted within the law, the JMPD maintains its officers were wrongfully detained.
Independent crime and security expert Professor Jacob Mofokeng from the Tshwane University of Technology said the conflict revealed deep-rooted dysfunction within South Africa’s policing system.
“The clash of badges, as depicted in one of the headlines, highlighted the attempt of the JMPD Tactical Reaction Unit (TRU) as part of the anti-corruption instruments to arrest their own who are found to be involved in corruptive practices. In this case, the members of the SAPS,” said Mofokeng.
“When this dramatic clash played out in the public terrain, it raised both the assurance that not all law enforcement agencies tolerate corruptive practices that are ongoing in their ranks. The retaliation by the SAPS members by confiscating personal firearms of the JMPD TRU officers raises serious concerns to the public. For TRU members to be chased away when they sought clarity at the Bekkersdal station, leaves much to be desired. This points towards a turf war between the two law enforcement agencies,” he added.
Professor Mofokeng warned that this rivalry undermines the credibility of both agencies. “Each agency seems to be targeting the other instead of working in collaboration together with the wider communities. This is a sign of power struggle that would do little to improve the tarnished image of law enforcement agencies to fight crime effectively,” he said.
An EFF has also condemned corruption within the security services, saying it remains committed to ensuring that law enforcement serves the people and not “the corrupt and exploitative few.”
As investigations continue, the arrests have intensified scrutiny of the relationship between SAPS and metropolitan police departments. Both agencies are expected to brief oversight committees in the coming days as the public and experts call for stronger coordination and accountability mechanisms.
Law enforcement analysts have warned that the escalating mistrust between agencies threatens to weaken South Africa’s broader fight against organised crime, particularly in areas plagued by illegal mining and gold smuggling.
