In the fight against crime, the Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, are renowned for their efficiency. Targeting the masterminds of organised crime in the pursuit of justice.
Working silently and amassing intel on offenders, the Hawks is a unit made up of individuals who are specialists in their respective field.
Spearheading the local Hawks unit in Newcastle is Lieutenant Colonel Mzikayifani Zibani.
“I joined the Hawks a number of years ago. I was initially based in Richards Bay when I joined, before relocating to Newcastle in November 2019.”
As the unit commander for the Newcastle Hawks unit, Lieutenant Colonel Zibani explains his journey in law enforcement began when he was a child.
“I always wanted to be a police officer and joined the police department back in 1986. I have always loved the idea of helping others.”
Now stationed in Newcastle, he leads a team of six operational members, all of whom specialises in focusing on organised crime, serious corruption and serious commercial crime.
The team also focuses on drug syndicates, as well as the tampering of infrastructure, which involves the theft of tower batteries and fuel pipes.
Working tirelessly to bring serious offenders to book, Lieutenant Colonel Zibani says it is difficult to pinpoint the most problematic crime in Newcastle.
“What I can say, as per the reports by the local station commanders, there is an issue with drugs. We are assessing the situation in order to determine the involvement of syndicates. We also see quite a few violent crimes, especially murder and attempted murder.”
Due to the nature of their work and the seriousness of the crimes they deal with, Lieutenant Colonel Zibani says when a police officer becomes a member of the Hawks, they have to undergo extensive training.
“It is important to note, that you first need to be a police officer before joining the Hawks. When you join the Hawks, you get specialised training in addition to your police training.
Lieutenant Zibani says this training prepares members for their new duties, ensuring they are specialised and ready to tackle the challenges ahead.
One of the challenges that he faces in his career, is getting people to cooperate with himself and other law officials. “It can be difficult getting people to come forward and provide their evidence.”
However, when people do work alongside the Hawks and other police officers, Lieutenant Colonel Zibani emphasises that it is immensely satisfying in seeing a perpetrator being convicted.
As guardians of Newcastle, Lieutenant Colonel Zibani encourages the community to always speak up about crime in their immediate vicinity.
“Report any identifiable crime to the police and don’t be scared. Also, be sure to follow up on the investigations after reporting the matter,” he concludes.
With the men and women from the Hawks watching over Newcastle, they are our community’s very own superheroes. Working to create a safer environment for all.
