Murdered and dumped: Remains of missing Pretoria journalist and partner identified
The decomposed bodies found in KwaMhlanga have been confirmed as those of missing journalist Sibusiso 'Aserie' Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdhluli, officially turning the case into a double murder investigation.
Pretoria Rekord reports that the National Press Club (NPC) said in a statement that the couple's remains were discovered yesterday morning at an advanced stage of decomposition.
'The forensic team have positively identified the remains and confirmed that Ndlovu and Mdhluli were murdered and dumped in a veld in the Kwa Mhlanga area.'
The couple had been missing since February 18.
The NPC said the media fraternity across South Africa has, for the past two-and-a-half months, laboured with the agony of not knowing where the couple had gone.
'We joined hands and the chorus of our voices in calling for communities and law enforcement agencies to find the couple.
'Following the formation of the task team, more resources were allocated, leading to a breakthrough in the case.'
This resulted in the arrest of five suspects, three of who appeared in court on Wednesday.
'I am terribly sad. We held out hope that despite the number of days that the couple had gone missing, they would still be found alive. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of our brother and sister,' says Elijah Mhlanga, the chairperson of the African Media and Communicators Forum.
The NPC said it will be in court today, and the media application for access to cover the media will be heard.
The application was brought by the AMCF and NPC on behalf of the media houses.
'We are confident in the work of the authorities, that they will use all the available resources to bring to book everyone who was involved in the killing of our colleague and his partner,' says acting chairperson of the NPC Antoinette Slabbert.
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