The 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members accused of killing Hawks officer Lt-Col Frans Mathipa are facing three counts of murder. 

They are also facing several other charges, including two counts of kidnapping, making false statements under oath, obstructing the administration of justice, theft and fraud. 

The 12 soldiers appeared in the Randburg magistrate's court on Monday. The court ordered the media not to publish their names or pictures as an identity parade must still be conducted. 

The case was postponed to July 1 for a bail application and the soldiers remanded. The court heard that the matter will be transferred to the high court within the Gauteng jurisdiction.

On Sunday, the Johannesburg-based Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation team arrested two soldiers, aged 36 and 51, linked to the murder of Mathipa. During the operation, police also seized a vehicle belonging to the 36-year-old suspect.

The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the kidnapping of two male foreign nationals at a mall in Midrand on December 29 2022. On Monday, 10 more soldiers were arrested after they handed themselves over to the Hawks investigating officers in Johannesburg.

Mathipa was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6 2023. After being shot his vehicle veered out of control and landed in a ditch.

Mathipa, who was attached to the Hawks’ crimes against the state section within the serious organised crime investigation unit in Gauteng, was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death.

The Sunday Times reported he had been investigating the abduction of alleged Isis leader Abdella Abadiga from the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg and was looking into suspicions that South African military special forces were involved.

Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said the accused are also linked to a case involving the kidnapping of two foreign nationals in December 2022. 

“At this moment, we cannot reveal their identity as per the court instructions. An identity parade has to be conducted. Their names and identities will only be revealed after we are done with the identity parade,” he said. 

He added that Mathipa was responsible for investigating high-profile cases. “Some of those cases involved the accused who are appearing in court, but I cannot get into the details of those cases.”