Three police officers from the Sedibeng Economic Infrastructure Task Team (EITT) are set to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on 26 May 2025 following explosive allegations of corruption, extortion, and theft linked to a scrapyard raid in the Vaal region.
The officers — Constables David (or Devon) M. Logenberg, Tankiso Augusto Petsana, and Sello V. Mahlatsi — allegedly staged a shakedown at a local scrapyard, claiming to be acting on a tip-off about illegal operations. But what unfolded next has sparked a criminal investigation that now threatens their careers and reputations.
According to investigators, the trio ordered all scrapyard workers to cease work and sit on the ground, then demanded to speak to the owner. When told the owner was not present, they reportedly pressured a worker in charge and demanded the owner’s contact number.
One officer allegedly took the phone and told the owner that unless he paid R40,000, the entire staff would be arrested. The worker, now the key complainant in the case, handed over R10,000 in cash. Police are also accused of directing the remaining amount to be paid into a personal bank account.
As if that wasn’t enough, the officers are said to have seized four rolls of copper cables, claiming they would be booked at the station — a move that now forms part of the theft charges.
Following a probe by the Gauteng Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit, the case was handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who authorized the criminal charges and issued court summonses.
Adding further weight to the case is a separate investigation involving Constable Logenberg, who faces an additional raft of charges including obstruction of justice and malicious damage to property.
“We welcome the steps taken by the anti-corruption unit and remain committed to rooting out criminal elements within our ranks,” said a source close to the investigation.
As the case heads to court later this month, many are watching closely — not just for justice, but for what it reveals about the broader efforts to hold law enforcement accountable in South Africa.
