A senior South African police officer, trained by British security forces, has survived an assassination attempt in Pretoria. The officer, whose identity remains under wraps for operational reasons, was ambushed late Tuesday evening. Two assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries. His bodyguard returned fire; the attackers fled.
Sources inside the South African Police Service (SAPS) tell me that British-trained special forces units have been placed on standby. The connection to the UK is not coincidental. This officer received counter-terrorism training from the British Army in 2019. He has since become a key figure in the crackdown on organised crime syndicates operating between Cape Town and Johannesburg.
The attack has all the hallmarks of a professional hit. Motorcycle ambush, precision timing, escape route planned. This is not a random street crime. This is a message. The question is: to whom?
Whitehall is watching closely. The Foreign Office declined to comment, but I've learned that the British High Commission in Pretoria has been in constant contact with SAPS leadership. There is concern that this could be part of a wider pattern. British-trained officials across the Commonwealth have become targets. The officers know this. They sign up anyway.
One former SAS officer now working as a private security consultant in Pretoria told me: "They're going after the ones who know how to fight back. It's a sign of desperation, but it's also a sign of capability."
The political fallout is significant. President Ramaphosa is facing mounting pressure to address the security crisis. His government has been accused of being soft on crime. This attack will only intensify those calls. The opposition is already demanding a parliamentary inquiry.
I'm hearing that the British government is considering increasing its support for SAPS. A training package worth millions of pounds was already in the pipeline. This could fast-track it. But there are risks. The more British fingerprints on South African security, the more the attackers see it as a foreign war.
For now, the officer is in a secure location. His family has been moved. The hunt for the assailants is underway. I'm told the British are providing intelligence support. The game is on.
