Detective Survives Ambush in Duduza as SAPS Launches Manhunt
- A Gauteng detective survived a brutal ambush in Duduza, resulting in a manhunt launched by SAPS
- The detective allegedly escaped the attack in Duduza, sparking SAPS to request public assistance
- The Duduza detective who was ambushed during the investigation remained unharmed
Source: UGC
A provincial manhunt is underway after a detective attached to Duduza Police Station in Nigel, Gauteng, was ambushed by three armed men on Monday night, 8 September 2025. The officer, who was in a marked police vehicle after interviewing a key witness, was shot at more than 15 times but escaped uninjured.
According to provincial spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhululwi, the detective’s name is being withheld for safety reasons. “The police are on a lookout for suspects following the attack on a detective at Zimu Street in Duduza. Anyone with information is urged to come forward,” she said.
Over 15 shell casings recovered from crime scene
Preliminary forensics indicate the suspects approached on foot, fired a volley of rounds at close range, and fled immediately. SAPS experts are analysing the cartridge casings to determine the calibre and type of firearms used. Because the shooting took place at night, the detective could not provide physical descriptions, but he told investigators the men “seemed out of place” moments before the attack.
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Rising threats against law enforcement in Gauteng
This shooting highlights a worrying surge of attacks on police. According to SAPS’s latest quarterly crime stats (April–June 2025), 31 officers were targeted in Gauteng in on- or off-duty incidents this year, compared with 26 in the same period last year. Nationally, at least 86 police members were killed in the 2023/24 reporting year, with Gauteng accounting for roughly a third of the fatalities. Conviction rates for such crimes remain low; fewer than half of the cases opened in the past three years have reached trial.
Earlier high-profile incidents include the March 2025 ambush of a Tembisa detective investigating extortion syndicates and the May 2025 murder of a Krugersdorp officer during a follow-up raid on illegal mining suspects. In both cases, suspects were arrested within weeks following coordinated manhunts.
Police union leaders and criminology experts have warned that detectives, who often travel alone to interview witnesses, are increasingly targeted by organised criminals. “It’s an intimidation tactic meant to derail investigations,” said Independent Police Union of SA spokesperson Themba Khoza. “We’ve called for improved surveillance support and two-officer protocols for field work.”
Community and area context
Nigel and Duduza have long struggled with high levels of violent crime. SAPS’s 2024/25 statistics show Duduza station recorded 86 cases of attempted murder and 143 cases of illegal firearm possession in one year, among the highest in the Ekurhuleni region. Local councillor Nsizwa Mekgwe said such attacks erode public trust: “Residents become afraid to cooperate when they see officers under fire.”
Source: UGC
SAPS response and investigation procedures
SAPS has reinforced patrols in Duduza and the surrounding areas and activated its provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit. Standard practice in police-targeted shootings involves crime-scene reconstruction, ballistic testing, witness tracing, and CCTV canvassing; Nevhululwi said all these steps are underway. Similar cases in Gauteng have typically seen arrests within 30–60 days when communities assist.
Community members with any relevant information are urged to contact Duduza SAPS or the Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111. SAPS believes a united front between law enforcement and residents is key to restoring safety and deterring future attacks on those sworn to protect.
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- Members of the South African Police Service assaulted a man living in Cape Town in a viral video.
Source: Briefly News
