Police have launched a massive manhunt for awaiting-trial prisoner Jabulani Moyo, who escaped custody after killing two detectives in Roodepoort on Friday.

The two officers were transporting Moyo from court to prison when they were ambushed in the Roodepoort CBD. Their service pistols were stolen during the attack.

Moyo was later seen fleeing in the officers’ unmarked police vehicle, which was found abandoned a few kilometres away.

A multidisciplinary team has been deployed to track down Moyo, who is considered armed and dangerous. One of the stolen firearms is believed to have been used to kill the detectives.

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola will visit the families of two police officers killed in the line of duty. Masemola will be joined by Deputy National Commissioner of Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili and the Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.

The Commissioner has urged the public not to harbour Moyo. National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says they have deployed maximum resources to trace Moyo.

“A multidisciplinary team – consisting of crime intelligence operatives, detectives, as well as the Gauteng DPC tracking teams and the HAWKS – is on the ground actively searching for Moyo. General Masemola is also calling on all people living in South Africa not to harbor this dangerous criminal, who is in possession of a SAPS state firearm. The same firearm that he stole from one of the officers is the same firearm that was allegedly used to kill the two detectives.”

#sapsHQ [MEDIA INVITATION] The National Commissioner of #SAPS, General Fannie Masemola will today visit the families of two police officers that were killed in the line of duty.

He will be joined by the Deputy National Commissioner of Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello… pic.twitter.com/kJWUdRedf3

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 9, 2025

Meanwhile, police in Mpumalanga have launched a manhunt for the ten suspects who shot and killed a police officer in Schoemasdal, near Komatipoort, early Saturday morning.

Sergeant Lauwrence Mtshweni was part of a team responding to a business robbery when the suspects attacked them.

Police say he died from his injuries in the hospital.

Acting Provincial Police Commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi said they will use all available resources to locate the suspects.