Intelligence-driven tracing collaboration lands yet another pivotal arrest
12 September 2026
In the past week, tracing operations between SAPS and City services, utilising City tech, have resulted in numerous arrests, including half a dozen suspects for smash and grab crimes. In one of the latest incidents, they tracked and arrested a second suspect in the murder of Traffic Officer, Walter Van Rooyen.
Officer Van Rooyen, 49, was shot and killed in his patrol car on 17 March 2020 after arresting taxi driver Craig De Lilly for a traffic violation.
De Lilly was initially arrested, but charges were provisionally withdrawn. He was later rearrested and is currently awaiting trial.
During this time, SAPS has been on the hunt for a second suspect.
Last month, the SAPS Provincial Organised Crime Unit requested the City's help with tracing the remaining suspect who was believed to still work in the taxi industry. A team from the Safety and Security Information Management Service (SSIMS) conducted surveillance on various taxi routes and on Tuesday he was arrested.
Dwayne Smith appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Wednesday where he opted not to apply for bail.
The matter will now be transferred to the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday where it is understood that the duo will appear together as preparations for the murder trial get under way.
‘We welcome this second arrest and hope that the trial will proceed swiftly. Officer Van Rooyen’s family deserve justice and closure. They’ve already waited more than six years, with the trial still to come.
‘I also want to applaud the City officers and their SAPS counterparts who worked countless hours to secure the arrest of the suspects. In fact, this is the third collaboration in just the past week where tracing operations, led in part by the City’s tech tools, have had results. It’s a reminder of what’s possible when we leverage relationships, information and resources,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
On Wednesday, 2 September 2026, City services and SAPS collaborated to arrest five smash and grab suspects in Elsies River. The suspects were identified using CCTV, and SAPS secured warrants of arrest. On the day, the CCT drone team provided real-time aerial surveillance, enabling officers on the ground to track the suspects, and successfully apprehend them.
This week, on Wednesday, 9 September, officers executed a trace operation in Langa, resulting in the arrest of a suspect involved in an attack on a motorist along Jakes Gerwel Drive on 3 September.
The suspect was identified using CCTV and then traced to an address in the area, where he was apprehended.