Police probe premeditated murder case after toddler (2) was killed and his mother arrested
JOHANNESBURG - Police are shifting gear in what was initially a kidnapping case and are now investigating a case of premeditated murder after a two-year-old boy was killed and his mother arrested in Vanderbijlpark.
Kutlwano Shalaba's lifeless body was discovered last Thursday in Bekkersdal, west of Gauteng, after he was reported kidnapped in November last year.
A sangoma practising in the area led police to the boy's body after admitting he was involved in his disappearance.
The child's mother, Keneilwe Shalaba, was arrested in November last year on charges including human trafficking.
ALSO READ: Mother who allegedly sold her son (2) to a sangoma for R75k to remain behind bars
Police found that R75,000 was deposited into the child's mother's account the day her son went missing.
It later emerged that she had contacted a local sangoma, Sebokoane Khoanyana, several times, and he was taken in for questioning.
Police are now probing the matter to get to the bottom of what happened to the child.
They've revealed that DNA tests are currently underway on the child's body, and a postmortem report will soon be released.
On Monday, the pair appeared at the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates Court on charges of human trafficking and premeditated murder.
The National Prosecuting Authority NPA's spokesperson, Lummka Mahanjana, said, "We just recovered the body of the baby, and a postmortem is still going to be conducted, and possibly investigate the body further, and what was done to the body."
The matter was postponed to 5 June 2025 to allow the sangoma to source legal representation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
12 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
EFF Youth Command calls on NPA to appeal brail granted to WSU official accused of murder
DURBAN - The Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command (EFFYC) has called on the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) to appeal bail granted to a Walter Sisulu University (WSU) official linked to the murder of student Sisonke Mbolekwa. Manelisi Mampane, who was charged with the murder of Mbolekwa and the attempted murder of two others, was granted R10,000 bail by the Mthatha Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The decision has sparked disruptive student protests that have led to the arrests of three students. ALSO READ: Police call for calm as WSU students protest after the release of Manelisi Mampane The EFF's youth wing at the institution says the judgement is concerning given the amount of evidence in the matter. The EFF Youth Command says it's alarmed by the Mthatha Magistrates Court decision to grant bail to Manelisi Mampane. Mampane was charged for allegedly shooting and killing student Sisonke Mbolekwa and injuring other students during a protest in April. The red berets believe the accused is a threat to students and may interfere with the case as he will have access to electronic communication and the institution's database. The youth command's national coordinator, Naledi Chirwa-Mpungose, is calling on the NPA to challenge the decision, citing the safety of witnesses. She's added that the presiding magistrate must give a full account of how he decided to grant Mampane bail.
The Citizen
13 hours ago
- The Citizen
Dundee motorcycle crash leaves father fighting for recovery
The biking community is rallying to support local rider Jono Pienaar, who suffered a life-altering motorcycle accident on Saturday, May 31. Riding home from a charity Poker Run to pick up his daughter, Jono was struck head-on by a car that pulled out in front of him near the Engen Garage on Karel Landman Street. Initially released from the hospital with only Panado syrup, Jono's condition worsened overnight. After a house call by a local doctor, it was confirmed he had sustained severe trauma to his groin and pelvic area, leaving him unable to walk. An update on June 3 from friend Esme Steenkamkp revealed a pelvic dislocation fracture requiring a brace for four to eight weeks. The brace alone costs between R3,000 and R4,000. With Jono bedridden and his wife, Paige, forced to take leave to provide round-the-clock care, the family is struggling to keep food on the table. 'Friends, neighbours and fellow riders are asking anyone who can to contribute whatever they can to help Jono's family weather this crisis. Any donation—no matter how small—will go directly toward groceries, medical needs and basic living expenses until he can return to work. 'To support Jono and his family, please go to the Back a Buddy page to help Jono. Your generosity will make a real difference as he begins the long road to recovery,' said friend and fundraising organiser, Jackie Vermuelen.
IOL News
13 hours ago
- IOL News
Call for vetting of pastors, healers as ritual crimes against children shock SA
IOL spent time with chairperson of the Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission), Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva at her offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Image: Jonisayi Maromo/IOL South African communities have experienced various heinous crimes committed by perpetrators, including leaders of faith-based organisations—particularly sangomas and pastors. Earlier this week, IOL reported that a 50-year-old sangoma, Sebokoana Khounyana, appeared before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court in Gauteng facing charges of premeditated murder and human trafficking of two-year-old baby, Kutlwano Shalaba. Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Lumka Mahanjana said a charge of premeditated murder was also added against the baby's mother Kuneuwe Portia Shalaba. Kutlwano Shalaba was murdered allegedly by her mother and a sangoma. Image: Facebook Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The 32-year-old mother was previously facing charges of human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery and making a false statement to the police. On Wednesday morning, IOL reported that the specialised occult unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been roped in to probe the brutal murder of Roodepoort teenager Likhona Fose, whose mutilated body was discovered on Sunday. The 14-year-old Grade 8 learner at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, Joburg apparently lived with her grandmother, who could not find her on Saturday. Her butchered body was found in an open field, covered with vegetation around Durban Deep, in Roodepoort, Gauteng. Deputy Minister of Police Dr Polly Boshielo has confirmed that the genitalia of a young girl was removed by her killers. As crime experts suggest the possibility of an occult-related murder in the case of Likhona, IOL spoke with Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, chairperson of the Commission for the Promotion of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission), at her offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. 'The issue of Child Protection Week is very critical in a country like ours. Our children are not safe—even in their homes, they are not safe. Even in their communities, they are not safe. We are one of those countries which are not fit for children,' she said. 'We are a country that, if we had choices, we wouldn't have children in this country. We are a country that does not pay as much attention as it should, where children are concerned.' 'On basic things like access to education, some children still walk long distances when the transport system fails. Some schools still do not have toilets. So, even before we get to the alarmingly high levels of child abuse in this country, there are already many things that need urgent attention,' said Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. She said Child Protection Week was an opportunity for South Africans to reflect on their individual contributions to creating safer environments for children. 'As the CRL Rights Commission, we asked: How can we use the Children's Act to protect children? How do we ensure that the Act is implemented? It's an established law that can protect children. We are looking at spaces of worship and sacred spaces,' she told IOL. 'The law says anyone working with children must be vetted—not just teachers.' She emphasised that the law requires anyone working with children to be vetted, yet many religious leaders operate closely with children in their ministries without undergoing the necessary checks. 'Part of what we're asking is: in the religious sector, who is vetting pastors? If I start a church, who vets me? I'll have access to children. Suddenly, I love Sunday School and I'm always with the kids - and parents are thrilled that this nice pastor enjoys spending time with them. But has he been vetted? 'To ensure that pastors, bishops, and archbishops are properly vetted, what systems should be in place?' she said. 'Paedophilia is not something that easily leaves your system. People who prey on children deliberately seek out spaces where they can access them. If I'm a religious leader, I have access. Yet, in this country, we worry about teachers - some of whom are vetted, others not - but we ignore these unregulated spaces.' Mkhwanazi-Xaluva emphasised that the CRL Rights Commission will be tabling the issue of vetting and monitoring of religious leaders across South Africa. 'We are looking at vetting of traditional healers, because they have access to children as well. We are looking at vetting of people who do virginity testing. It is amazing that we have people who are working in a very delicate space in our children's lives and no one is monitoring them,' she said. 'When you have people who say, I want to test children below 16, and I insist on doing that, but I have not been vetted, there is a crisis there, looming. We think it is only men who can do certain things. Anyone can do whatever. This is a gender-free kind of space.' She said South Africa needs to go back to basics in terms of protecting its children. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva emphasised that not anyone with money for a tent and chairs should be allowed to open a church in South Africa. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said in order to protect children, a regulator should receive applications from religious leaders and do proper vetting including taking fingerprints and identity documents of the applicants. 'We are not talking about new laws. These are laws that exist, implement those laws and the laws that exist take us straight to the Children's Act. So traditional healers, virginity testers, pastors, religious leaders of all kinds whether it is Islam, Jewish, or whatever - who is vetting them? It is the responsibility of the state to protect people. We are saying the state must do its job and its job is to make sure we are all safe, even if we do not see danger, we must be protected,' she said. Earlier this week, IOL spoke to renowned criminologist, Prof Kholofelo Rakubu who is the Head of Department at Tshwane University of Technology's Department of Law, Safety and Security Management, regarding the graphic nature of crime in South Africa, which often targets children. 'There are signs of an occult crime, which the occult crime investigations unit looks for. When they arrive at the scene, there are projects which tell them that this is an occult case. A body part must be missing, a particular body part is taken by the perpetrators and normally the perpetrators are not seen. 'You have not heard of a situation where perpetrators of an occult crime were seen doing it, we hear about it afterwards. That is because they are very professional. They are rational thinkers, they take time to pounce on their unsuspecting victims,' she said. 'To lure them, they take the victims to a designated place, they just do not do the killing at a tavern. They can dump the body somewhere, where it was not killed.' Rakubu, however, warned that the crime of occultic killers might get confused with psychotic killers. 'Sometimes a mentally disturbed person would do the crime in the same manner. They can kill their girlfriend, cut the body into pieces and keep them in a freezer because they are hearing voices and having psychological issues.'
