In a shocking revelation, the BBC’s Eye Investigations unit has unearthed a trove of evidence implicating South Africa’s special forces in the murder of senior detective Lt Col Frans Mathipa.
Mathipa, a respected leader in the Hawks division, had been trying for months to unlock pivotal information related to an alleged abduction of an Ethiopian militant, Abdella Abadigga. Two days after the investigation made progress, Mathipa’s car was found overturned on a motorway near Pretoria. He was shot dead while driving, according to police.
BBC documents show that the vehicle chasing Mathipa was registered to Peters Communications Trust (PCT), a front company for the special forces. CCTV footage from the Mall of Africa captured a soldier in blue—Maj Sunnybooi Wambi—her parking after Abadigga and his bodyguard. The same black BMW tailing Mathipa moments before his murder also belonged to PCT.
Seven members of the 5 Special Forces Regiment and one military police officer have been charged with Mathipa’s murder. They refuse the charges and have left the country. Crucially, no trial date has yet been set, and three defendants have not complied with court orders to surrender.
The case hit a nerve in South Africa, a country that prides itself on democratic governance. The military’s refusal to cooperate, and the lack of accountability for the alleged drill‑site training that launched a dangerous raptor, underline concerns about unchecked power.
Mathipa’s daughter, Basetsana, calls for justice: “We need justice. I’ll never see my dad again while he was simply doing his job.”
The investigation remains stalled, with the bodies of Abadigga and his bodyguard still missing. No official head of special forces has confirmed or denied any involvement, and authorities cannot provide a trial schedule.
