Story audio is generated using AI
The life of Joseph Nyalungu, better known as “Big Joe”, reads like a crime thriller stretching across more than a decade of allegations involving rhino poaching, money laundering, murder, corruption and organised crime in Mpumalanga. On Saturday, Nyalungu was shot dead in what police believe was an assassination near his business premises in Mkhuhlu, bringing a violent end to the life of one of the Lowveld’s most controversial and feared figures. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Mavela Masondo confirmed the killing. “Yes, I can confirm a prominent rhino poaching kingpin was shot today,” Masondo said shortly after the incident. Nyalungu’s death came just days after he survived an earlier attempt on his life at the same location where gunmen reportedly fired more than 10 shots at him. He survived that attack despite being wounded in the shoulder, stomach and thigh. Long before he became infamous as an alleged rhino poaching kingpin, Nyalungu was a police officer stationed in Hazyview. But over time, his name became increasingly associated with organised crime syndicates operating in and around the Kruger National Park. Police and prosecutors accused him of being deeply involved in the illegal rhino horn trade, money laundering operations and violent criminal networks. His first major brush with the law dates back to December 2011 when police stopped a Range Rover Sport near Middelburg. Inside the vehicle, officers allegedly discovered Nyalungu, then still a police constable with R3.2m in cash and a bag containing traces of animal material later linked through DNA analysis to two poached white rhinos in the Kruger National Park. The following year he was arrested again during a police sting operation involving the alleged illegal sale of rhino horns. Over the years, police raids on Nyalungu’s properties uncovered staggering amounts of cash and equipment allegedly linked to poaching syndicates. During one raid at his home in Mkhuhlu, police allegedly found metal coffers containing R5m in cash, night-vision equipment, sound suppressors for hunting rifles, bloodied pangas and knives as well as stolen electronic equipment. Authorities also reportedly discovered disturbing photographs on a digital camera showing a young man tied up and handcuffed. The identity and fate of the individual remain unclear. In 2024, police again raided Nyalungu’s workshop in Mkhuhlu where illegal explosives and heavy-calibre ammunition were allegedly seized. Nyalungu’s name became nationally known after his arrest in September 2018 during a major police operation called Project Broadbill. He was arrested alongside Petros Sydney Mabuza, also known as Mshengu, as well as several serving and former police officers. The accused faced charges including racketeering, corruption, money laundering, theft and the illegal buying and selling of rhino horns. Prosecutors alleged that Nyalungu and Mshengu were kingpins in a massive rhino horn trafficking network operating in the greater Kruger area. Millions of rand worth of assets were seized during the operation. The world surrounding rhino poaching syndicates in Mpumalanga has long been linked to violence, assassinations and organised criminal networks. In June 2021, Mshengu himself was gunned down by three men while sitting in his orange double-cab bakkie outside Lowveld Mall in Hazyview. His funeral drew large crowds with mourners praising him despite his alleged criminal links. Nyalungu also faced allegations beyond wildlife crime. In July 2020, he was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of neighbour and Eskom employee Willy Shipalane, whose body was allegedly dumped in the Inyaka Dam near Bushbuckridge after being weighed down with concrete blocks. Over time, Nyalungu’s legal troubles mounted. The South African Revenue Service obtained a R15m tax judgment against him in 2014 and he was later sequestrated. At the time of his death he remained out on bail while facing multiple ongoing criminal cases. Nyalungu’s rise and eventual assassination have once again placed a spotlight on the deep-rooted organised-crime networks operating in Mpumalanga. For years, Nyalungu denied wrongdoing while law enforcement agencies continued to pursue cases against him.TimesLIVE
