Willem Antonie Combrink, a 63-year-old man previously convicted of major fraud, has been taken into custody to begin serving a prison sentence following his apprehension in the Western Cape. His arrest marks the end of a prolonged effort by authorities to bring him to justice after he failed to hand himself over as required by law.
Background of the Case
The legal proceedings against Combrink date back to a significant fraud case investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, in Mpumalanga. Combrink was found guilty of fraudulently claiming over R1 million for work that was never performed in Secunda. Following his conviction in the Evander Regional Court, he was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Combrink subsequently sought to challenge this sentence through the legal system. His initial appeal was dismissed, and his subsequent application to the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to appeal was also unsuccessful, confirming the sentence imposed upon him.
Failure to Surrender
Following the final dismissal of his appeal, Combrink was required to hand himself over to the relevant authorities to commence his incarceration. He failed to do so, leading the Evander Magistrates’ Court to issue a J76 Order of Apprehension against him on 6 November 2025.
For months, Combrink remained at large, violating the conditions of his bail, which had previously been granted at R100,000. Among these conditions, he was required to reside in KwaZulu-Natal and was strictly prohibited from moving without notifying the court; however, he failed to adhere to these mandates.
Apprehension in Camps Bay
The multi-agency effort to locate the fugitive culminated on Saturday, 12 September 2026, when he was tracked down in the Camps Bay CBD. He was arrested by the DPCI Western Cape Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit, with assistance from the Camps Bay City Improvement District and the local South African Police Service (SAPS).
Following his arrest, Combrink was detained at the Camps Bay SAPS. He was scheduled to appear before the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 14 September 2026, to facilitate the legal processes for his transfer back to Mpumalanga to serve his sentence.
Official Response
The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, commended the successful apprehension of the fugitive. He highlighted that the arrest serves as a reminder that the judicial process does not conclude with a conviction and sentence.
“The Hawks will continue to pursue fugitives who attempt to evade justice,” Major General Gerber stated. “Those sentenced to imprisonment must account for their crimes and serve the sentences imposed by the courts.”
This recent development follows years of legal history involving Combrink, including a 2018 appeal judgment in the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria), where his earlier challenge against an eight-year sentence—related to separate fraud counts involving millions of rand—was dismissed by the court, which found no misdirection in the original sentencing.