Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya revealed on Tuesday that the Hawks were investigating at least 22 477 cases, worth a combined R1.5-trillion.

Providing an update on the DPCI’s, or the Hawks’, achievements since he took over in 2018, Lebeya said corruption was South Africa’s biggest threat.

He said 1 998 cases were currently being considered by the National Prosecuting Authority.

Since 2018, the DPCI has arrested 12 157 suspects, while 4 447 convictions were secured nationally.

“The convictions relate to individuals as the charges or counts, themselves, are much higher. To cite as an example, in 2019 the convictions relating to Serious Commercial Crime Investigation alone was 37 597 counts,” he said.

The Hawks’ anti-corruption task team and operation committee have been revitalised to fast-track criminal investigation, prosecution and asset recovery.

Lebeya highlighted national priority offences since he took the helm at the Hawks as cash in-transit robberies, theft of fuel from Transnet pipelines, drug and human trafficking, corruption and commercial crime, organised crime, cybercrime, money laundering and incitement to commit crime.

He also revealed that another eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the 2021 July unrest, bringing the total number of suspects arrested, to date, to 43.

“The DPCI never stopped the investigations since. In fact, multidisciplinary teams were formed to investigate. The DPCI and the National Prosecuting Authority are satisfied that the investigation is ripe, hence the Hawks are landing,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DPCI havdadopted a "team approach" to investigations, as opposed to assigning individual investigators.

Further, the DPCI continues to assign teams from its National Clean Audit Task Team to deal with municipal cases.

“We have seen the public appreciating work done by the directorate on social media and elsewhere. Amongst others, several high profile cases, including VBS and the asbestos matter, just to mention a few, have been placed on the court roll,” Lebeya pointed out.

Other achievements of the Hawks include arrests in the R280-million eThekwini Durban Solid Waste scandal where former mayor Zandile Gumede is one of the accused.

The trial started on August 22 in Durban after months of delays.

Another case Lebeya highlighted involved the mayor of the JB Marks municipality and a director in his office, who were charged, in 2020, with fraud emanating from investigations conducted by the Hawks, involving R5-million intended for the municipality.

The case has been postponed to October 2022.