Mpumalanga’s “untouchable” former police officer-turned-criminal suspect, Joseph “Big Joe” Nyalunga, is set to appear before the Calcutta magistrate’s court today in a high-stakes bail hearing.
His arrest earlier this week has not only deepened law enforcement’s concerns but also shifted focus from his alleged wildlife poaching operations to possession of explosives linked to ATM bombings.
His arrest comes just months after Nyalunga, 60, along with his wife, Dudu Alicia Mathumbu, 56, and their company, Mjingo Projects and Transport Services, appeared before the Nelspruit magistrate’s court on July 30.
Alleged tax evasion
They were charged with failing to submit company income tax returns from 2015 to 2023 and personal tax returns from 2014 to 2023 and violating the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011.
The alleged tax evasion, valued at R13-million, saw the couple released on R1 000 bail each.
Nyalunga’s arrest on Tuesday marks a dramatic escalation in his legal troubles.
Acting on information, the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation unit, along with the K9 and explosives units, raided his business location in Mkhuhlu, outside of Hazyview, Mpumalanga.
Hidden beneath wooden scaffolding near a palisade fence, officers discovered electric detonators, blasting cartridges, and rifle ammunition.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala, confirmed the discovery.
Rhino poaching underworld
“During the search, three electric detonators, two superpower 90 blasting cartridges, and rifle ammunition were found hidden under the wooden scaffolding outside the workshop near the palisade fence. The accused was immediately arrested,” said Tshabalala.
Nyalunga appeared briefly in the Calcutta magistrate’s court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody ahead of his formal bail application today.
He faces charges under Section 6(1) of the Explosives Act and the Arms and Ammunition Act.
The prosecution is expected to argue that granting him bail would endanger the safety of members of the public, given his history of evading justice.
Nyalunga’s name has become synonymous with alleged organised crime, particularly in the rhino poaching underworld, earning him the nickname “Untouchable Joe”.
It is alleged that he is linked to a syndicate responsible for the slaughter of endangered wildlife and trafficking of horns from Kruger National Park.
During a raid in the early 2000s, over R5-million was allegedly found at his Thulamahashe residence.
Murder charge pending
In 2009, the Pretoria High Court issued a preservation of assets order against him, citing proceeds from unlawful activities.
In addition to these ongoing charges, Nyalunga faces a murder charge related to the 2010 killing of Willy Shipalane, whose body was discovered in the Inyaka Dam near Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, after years of investigation.
With each arrest, Nyalunga’s reputation as an elusive criminal figure grows.
This latest incident, coming on the heels of the explosive tax evasion case in July, casts a darker shadow over a man accused of running one of the most sophisticated poaching syndicates in South Africa.
Nyalunga’s ability to navigate the legal system will once again be tested as the court decides whether to grant bail, potentially giving him another opportunity to evade justice.
