The State has added Unathi Mayi as a seventh accused in the high-profile Nelson Mandela Bay case involving allegations of kidnapping, murder, extortion, human trafficking, robbery, and money laundering. This development was reported on 14 October 2026, expanding the list of individuals facing serious charges linked to a broader criminal syndicate operating across the Eastern Cape.
Mayi’s involvement reportedly ties to a robbery in Maletswai on 21 June 2025, and a subsequent kidnapping in the same town on 23 July 2025, where the same stolen vehicle was used. This adds to existing accusations against six other men, including former Hawks cybercrime officer Xolani Busakwe, who was arrested on 22 September 2026 and appeared in the Gqeberha Magistrates’ Court. Busakwe faces charges connected to two kidnapping cases as well as alleged organised crime activity.
The kidnappings under investigation targeted victims Lindsay Knowlden in the Markman Industrial Area and Theresa Minnie in Kariega/Fairbridge Heights during mid-2025. These incidents are part of a growing probe into ransom abductions linked to a syndicate suspected of orchestrating violent crimes including the murder of Tracy Brown, a prosecutor at New Brighton Magistrate’s Court. Brown was shot dead outside her Young Park home in Gqeberha on 31 July 2025.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana explained at a media briefing that the investigation connects several kidnapping incidents within the Swartkops and Kariega areas to a pattern of criminal gang activity. Mhlakuvana noted that Busakwe was arrested at his SAPS Head Office workplace in Pretoria before being transferred to the Eastern Cape to face charges.
This expanding case reflects serious concerns about organised crime’s reach in Nelson Mandela Bay, involving complex charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The proceedings reveal a syndicate allegedly responsible for multiple kidnappings, extortion attempts, and high-profile murder. According to court reports, the number of charges against the accused has grown to between 20 and 40, although exact totals vary between sources.
While some details such as ransom payment amounts and internal orchestration of murders remain unconfirmed by multiple independent sources, the core facts of the case—Brown’s murder, Busakwe’s arrest, and the linkage of several kidnappings—are well established. The addition of Mayi signifies continued prosecutorial efforts to bring all alleged participants to justice.
Residents of Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounding areas have followed the case closely, as it exposes the dangerous operations of a criminal syndicate that has targeted local communities with violence and intimidation. The investigation underscores ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in dismantling organised crime networks that cross regional boundaries.
The case is ongoing, with court proceedings expected to develop as new evidence and charges emerge. CapeFlats.co.za will continue to monitor updates and provide detailed coverage of all future developments in this syndicate’s trial.