Two SAPS members have been dismissed following their arrest in connection with kidnapping and extortion, in a case that has sent shockwaves through Gauteng.

Vaalweekblad reports that Constables Thabiso Pule Paul Molefe (32) and Paseka Matena (33), both members of the SAPS Highway Patrol Unit, were arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) earlier this year in connection with a case opened in Springs.

The two officers were found guilty following internal disciplinary hearings conducted under the SAPS Discipline Regulations of 2016. Both have been sanctioned with dismissal, pending final confirmation by the provincial commissioner.

Public reaction to the arrests and dismissals has been swift. Ian Cameron, DA Member of Parliament and well-known policing accountability advocate, took to social media to praise the outcome. “Some good news: dirty cops out,” he wrote, highlighting this as a meaningful example of consequence management in the SAPS.

“The public demands accountability, and this is a step in the right direction. We need a police service that earns the trust of law-abiding South Africans.”

Molefe, who is reportedly the son of a former high-ranking police official, and his co-accused Matena, were allegedly involved in a scheme where they kidnapped victims and extorted money from them under the guise of official police operations.

Their arrest and dismissal are being hailed as a success for IPID and an important signal that misconduct within SAPS will not be tolerated. The case also underscores growing calls for transparency and reform in the police service.

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