Fugitive Tebogo Mahlangu Arrested After Years on the Run for Robbery and Escape
KLERKSDORP, South Africa — Tebogo Mahlangu (40), who has been on the run since 2019, briefly appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on 16 April 2025. He faces charges of escape from lawful custody, in connection with a violent diamond gravel robbery dating back to November 2015.
Mahlangu was rearrested in Witbank on 11 April 2025 by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit with help from Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS). His arrest ends a nearly six-year manhunt after he escaped during a court appearance in September 2019.
According to Sivenathi Gunya, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the North West, Mahlangu and four accomplices were originally arrested for theft of a motor vehicle, attempted murder, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The group allegedly rammed a Toyota Hilux transporting diamond gravel with their Audi A4, causing the Hilux to overturn near Katboschfontein on the N12. Armed with firearms, the suspects robbed the driver of diamond gravel, a firearm, and other personal items.
During the heist, a passing Isuzu bakkie stopped to assist the crash victims, unaware it was a robbery in progress. The Isuzu occupants were also robbed at gunpoint, and their vehicle was stolen. When community members tried to intervene, the suspects opened fire, forcing bystanders to flee into nearby fields.
Police responded swiftly, arresting the suspects and recovering firearms and stolen goods. However, in September 2019, Mahlangu escaped from police custody after allegedly pointing a firearm at a police officer while being transported in a police vehicle. His co-accused were later rearrested and sentenced, but Mahlangu remained at large until now.
He was finally apprehended at the Witbank Court, where he was attending an unrelated case. The court has postponed his matter to 8 May 2025 for the consolidation of all charges.
Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi, Acting Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in North West, and Dr. Rachel Makhari, Director of Public Prosecutions, have praised investigators for their persistence.
“This arrest sends a strong message — the law will catch up with those who show contempt for justice,” said Dr. Makhari.
