Colonel Christelle Stemmet, who was shot and killed at her home in Table View on Sunday night, was leading probes into major corruption scandals at state-owned petrochemical company PetroSA.
But the 47-year-old's sudden death as a result of fatal gunshot wounds may delay cases she had finally brought to court after years of investigation.
The first leg of one of her PetroSA cases was due to be before the Belville Magistrate's Court this Friday. It is unclear if the matter will be able to proceed without Stemmet, the investigating officer, being present.
Zuma-linked lawyer Geroge Sabelo and former PetroSA chief executive Yekani Tenza were due to appear before the court on charges of fraud or theft, News24 reported on Sunday.
Stemmet worked for the Western Cape Serious Corruption Investigations unit of the Hawks, and was involved in a number of major investigations.
According to Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase, Stemmet was shot twice and died on the scene at her home in Cape Town.
Netwerk24 reported that two spent bullet casings were found on the scene, but the murder weapon had not been recovered.
A friend of Stemmet reportedly contacted the police following the shooting.
Nkwalase, in a statement issued on Monday, said the motive for the shooting was under investigation by local detectives, however preliminary investigations had ruled out any links to Stemmet's investigations for the Hawks.
"An inquest docket has been opened to explore the circumstances surrounding the death of such a seasoned and dedicated officer," the statement read.
