The KwaZulu-Natal Local Division of the High Court in Durban delivered a significant verdict on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, sentencing 36-year-old Phakamani Mpanza to life imprisonment for the murder of Durban Metro Police Superintendent Errol Ogle. Mpanza's co-accused, 45-year-old Mzomuhle Gamede, received an 18-year prison sentence for charges related to robbery and kidnapping.
Background of the crime
The incident took place on 20 July 2023, when Superintendent Ogle was fatally shot by Mpanza and his accomplices on the M7 near the Malvern off-ramp after they attempted to stop a truck traveling in the oncoming lane. The perpetrators robbed him of his service pistol and fled the scene in his marked Durban Metro VW Polo, which was subsequently found abandoned in Pinetown. The truck driver, who had been held captive during the hijacking, managed to escape the ordeal without injury.
Arrests and judicial process
Following the registration of a murder and hijacking case at the Pinetown Police Station, the investigation was handled by the Hawks' Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit. In a collaborative effort with the Durban Metro Police, investigators successfully apprehended three suspects within 72 hours of the crime. The individuals were charged with murder, armed robbery, hijacking, and kidnapping.
While the legal proceedings faced several postponements and the prosecution successfully opposed bail, one of the original suspects was eventually acquitted, while the remaining two were convicted in March 2026. In his final sentencing, Mpanza was handed life imprisonment for murder, along with 15 years of robbery and three years of kidnapping, while Gamede received 15 years for robbery and three years for kidnapping.
Statement from authority
Brigadier Zenobia Mulligan, the KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks, expressed satisfaction with the court's decision and praised the investigating team for their diligence. Emphasising the gravity of the crime, she stated that the killing of police officers will not be tolerated and reaffirmed the commitment of the Hawks to ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice.