Hawks Confirm High Treason Probe Amid Afriforum, Solidarity Storm

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, better known as the Hawks, has confirmed that it is investigating four dockets of high treason .

Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya confirmed the probe in an interview with SABC News on Monday 3 March.

There are four dockets that have been opened by different people, maybe from different political parties, that concern some individuals that may have crossed the border to go and communicate some things that are perceived to be in the direction of high treason, Lebeya said.

However, he did not reveal the identities of the individuals or organisations being probed.

We are at the initial stage of the investigation. With those types of crimes, you need to be careful in the way in which you collect that evidence, he added.

We are working closely with the National Prosecuting Authority NPA to check whether the content of the affidavits that we shall have put together, as well as other material evidence, is sufficient for the NPA to make a decision to proceed with prosecution.

The crime of high treason falls within the ambit of the Hawks. According to a definition by the South African Police Service SAPS , it consists of any conduct unlawfully committed by a person owing allegiance to the Republic of South Africa with the intention of:

• Changing the constitutional structure of the Republic.
• Overthrowing the government of the Republic.
• Coercing the government by violence into any action or inaction.
• Violating, threatening or endangering the existence, independence or security of the Republic.

In February, uMkhonto weSizwe MK Party opened a treason case against civil society group AfriForum, accusing it of lobbying foreign powers to act against the sovereignty and economic interests of South Africa.

This followed US President Donald Trumps executive order that cut US aid to South Africa. Trump cited false claims of government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation, against Afrikaners.

Their betrayal is nothing less than an act of economic sabotage, a direct assault on our nations independence and a dangerous attempt to undermine the will of the people, MK Party Deputy President John Hlophe said.