Office of the Provincial Commissioner Western Cape
Nelsprut - The arrested suspects, aged between 31 and 34 are expected to appear at Kanyamazane Periodical Court on Wednesday, 03 July 2024.
The court appearance comes after the body of Ms Bonisiwe Mabuza (37) was exhumed on Monday, 01 July 2024 at Luphisa graveyard in Pienaar outside Nelspruit.
Mabuza went missing on 25 June 2024 and her family reported the matter to the Police at Kanyamazane.
On the night she was reported to have disappeared, her VW Polo was found abandoned in a secluded place in Pienaar. All wheels of her vehicle as well as a site mirror and a backseat were removed. Surprisingly, some of her household appliances, which include a TV set and a fridge were missing from her house.
The investigation regarding the said case was assigned to Mpumalanga Serious and Violent Crimes Unit (in Nelspruit), though working in conjunction with the Detectives at Kanyamazane.
The Mpumalanga Serious and Violent Crimes Unit has just been resuscitated recently by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Detection, Major General Botsotso Moukangwe, who is a former Commander of the Unit, from its inception until it was disbanded.
The Unit focuses on the investigation of taxi violence, farm murders and other serious crimes such as murder and robbery.
The Unit is based in all three Districts hence one is in Nelspruit and another is in Middelburg then the third one is in Secunda.
The Unit is composed of two subcategories; the Taxi Violence Unit as well as Murder and Robbery Unit.
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Over the past weekend, the team intensified their efforts in the investigation. This led to two people taken in for questioning, which led to a breakthrough as well as the recovery of some of the items allegedly stolen from the victim.
The two were then detained as suspects whilst the third one handed himself over to the Police on Monday, 01 July 2024.
The three are facing a charge of murder, kidnapping, house robbery and more charges could be added against them as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, the Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi expressed his confidence on the team, more especially with the magnitude of work achieved so far. "We are delighted that the experienced team will not disappoint, more especially working under the guidance of the Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Detection. We are hopeful that justice will be served for the victim's family. We are also collaborating with the Prosecutors," said the General.
