Duo Appears in Court for Killing of Springs Off-Duty Police Captain in Foiled East Rand Robbery

• A duo has appeared in court for the alleged killing of a police officer in Springs in the East Rand
• The incident occurred in Geduld after four suspects stormed a supermarket and held up the business
• Off-duty Springs Captain Wynand Du Toit sprang into action and was killed in the resultant shootout

Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist at Briefly News. A Head of Current Affairs, Mametela reported live from the presidential inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa and has written articles on politics, crime, courts, accidents and other topics, including sports, at The Herald and Opera News SA, among others.

SPRINGS — Two suspects have appeared in the Springs Magistrate's Court following the death of an off-duty cop in Geduld on Gauteng's East Rand.

The duo, Nthuthuzelo Mana and Benjamin Ntuli are charged with killing Captain Wynand Du Toit during a supermarket robbery gone wrong.

Shootout kills off-duty Springs cop

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Du Toit was stationed at the Springs police station. In the incident on Sunday, 16 February 2025, armed suspects entered a Geduld supermarket at the corner of 4th Street and 4th Avenue at about 7.30am and held up the business.

The group of four suspects ordered the shop owner and his brother to lie down.

Du Toit, who had been to the shop while off-duty before exiting, became aware of the robbery and returned inside to try and thwart it.

Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said the robbers opened fire. Du Toit was struck in the crossfire.

"The suspects fled the scene and members of the public rushed Captain Du Toit to [Life Springs] Parkland Hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead," said Mavimbela.

With one suspect also injured in the exchange, the others carried him to their getaway vehicle, a black/grey VW Polo, and fled towards Paul Kruger Highway.

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"Police later received information of a possible suspect admitted at Pholosong Hospital in Tsakane, Brakpan, with a gunshot wounds."

Officers apprehended the suspect and placed him under police guards, while a manhunt continued for three others.

The next day, on Monday, 17 February, a law enforcement team arrested a suspect in Evander, Mpumalanga.

Mana, 32, appeared in court from a hospital bed alongside Ntuli, 37, on 19 February. The case was postponed for further investigations.

They are expected to make a second appearance on 27 February.

Gauteng Provincial Hawks Head Maj-Gen Ebrahim Kadwa commended the multi-disciplinary team for arresting the suspects.

Authorities called on the public to come forward with any information that leads to the arrests of the leads the arrest of the other perpetrators.

Source: Briefly News