Threat to slay Hawks

Two Hawks investigating one of the most spine-chilling criminal cases in Cape Town have received death threats - at least a dozen people, including state witnesses, connected with the case have already been murdered.

The Hawks are members of a team investigating George Thomas, known as "Mr Geweld" (Mr Violence), said to be a leading member of the notorious 28s gang, and 18 alleged henchmen.

The 19 are charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. Their trial began in April. Thomas faces 200 charges, including murder and defeating the ends of justice.

"We can confirm that two of our members did receive death threats," Hawks spokesman McIntosh Polela said yesterday. "We've put security arrangements in place for them."

He would not name the two Hawks.

One investigating officer, Alfred Barker, testified this month that there was talk of a hit contract on officers.

There was a heavy police contingent in the Cape Town High Court yesterday when the men appeared.

The state has applied to Judge Chantal Fortuin for a state witness to testify in camera for his protection. Several witnesses and their relatives had been killed. The police are investigating.

The Sunday Times reported in 2009 that André van Niekerk was the first state witness to be killed. He was allegedly shot by a member of the 28s gang who had been released from prison.

Thomas's lawyer, Janos Mihalik, said yesterday that his client was getting death threats. This surfaced when Thomas was acquitted of a double murder last year.

"I was informed that the gangsters wanted to kill Mr Thomas," said Mihalik.

He dismissed claims that investigating officers were being threatened as "a load of hogwash".

"They say he is ordering the murders but he is sitting alone in prison in Drakenstein - in isolation. It's like torture. This is a propaganda trial.

"The ones who murdered those people are the state's [section] 204 witnesses who are living in luxury in witness protection," said Mihalik.