A multi-disciplinary police joint operation has led to the fatal wounding of wanted suspect Mbuso Ndabazovela Biyela, who was linked to eight cases, including the murder of a police officer in October 2021.
Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has commended the team following a takedown operation in KwaZulu-Natal in the early hours of Monday.
In a statement, Gauteng South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the team traced Biyela to Sahlumbe (Ematsheleni) village in Weenen, KwaZulu-Natal.
The team comprised provincial members from the Serious and Violent Crimes (Murder and Robbery), Tracking team, Soweto District Crime Intelligence, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal Tactical Response Teams.
“The team tactically approached the house where Biyela was hiding but when he spotted them, he started firing shots towards the members who were forced to retaliate. Biyela was fatally wounded. None of the members sustained injuries. The team recovered an unlicensed firearm and ammunition upon entering the house,” she said.
Biyela was previously arrested in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng for murder in August 2020 and October 2021 respectively but he managed to escape from lawful custody.
Muridili said Biyela was positively linked to five Jabulani cases of murder that were committed between October 2021 and March 2022.
He was further linked to a Lenasia December 2017 case of hijacking and Lenasia South, December 2017, for possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as a KwaZulu-Natal August 2020 case of murder.
Last week police in Gauteng issued a reward of up to R100 000 to anyone who could come forth with information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of Biyela.
The Provincial Commissioner expressed appreciation to everyone who contacted the police with information.
“We, as the police in Gauteng, have committed to entrenching ourselves into our communities to realise the ideal of community policing. We made a call to anyone with information on the whereabouts of one of our most wanted suspect and the calls that we received have assisted us a lot. Thank you to the public as together, we have ensured the end of Biyela’s reign of terror,” said Lieutenant General Mawela.