Latest news with #KwaMhlangaMagistrate'sCourt
IOL News
07-05-2025
- IOL News
Missing journalist and partner: How a suspect initially became police's 'trusted' key witness
Community radio journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli have been missing since February 18. Image: Screengrab/X National commissioner of the SA Police Service, General Fannie Masemola, on Wednesday revealed that one of the suspects arrested for the disappearance of Pretoria-based radio journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli, was initially a key witness who seemed to be helping police investigators. IOL reported on Monday that four people have been arrested, linked to the disappearance of the couple in February. The couple was last seen on February 18, 2025, leaving their home in Mpumalanga in a white Volkswagen Citi Golf. On Wednesday, Masemola said a fifth suspect has been arrested and the accused men are set to appear before the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's Court. One of the arrested suspects is a minor, aged 17. The accused have been charged with multiple crimes including kidnapping, theft, hijacking, and possession of drugs. "Only recently, it is when police got some of the clues, and when they did their further investigation that is when they came to realise that some of the things are amiss. One of the arrested persons is somebody that was driving an e-hailing vehicle for the victims. He was our key witness all along. He was somebody who was assisting us all along but now it has turned out that he is a suspect himself," "That is part of what took the investigation so long. Somebody that we trusted, that is assisting us, only later to realise that we should not be looking further but closer to where we are. That is also what led to the breakthrough and assisted in the investigation." He said vehicle parts of Ndlovu's white Volkswagen Polo were found, already fixed on two other cars, after the witness was implicated as a suspect. IOL reported on Tuesday that police have established that one of the arrested suspects in the mysterious disappearance of Ndlovu and his partner Mdhluli, was working for Mdhluli as the driver of her cab. Masemola said the cab driver was the person who was a "key witness" who was telling police investigators where he last saw the couple. Police later established that the driver had deliberately mislead them, and they arrested and charged him. "He told us the same lie, that they were not missing. He told us the last time that he was with them ... but the investigation proved a little bit different from what he was saying," said Masemola. Pretoria-based journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu was reported missing on February 18, 2025 together with his partner, Zodwa Mdhuli. Image: Supplied 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕
The Citizen
06-05-2025
- The Citizen
Missing journalist and partner: 4 expected in Mpumalanga and Gauteng courts
Four people were arrested on Sunday in connection with the case of missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdhluli. According to Mpumalanga News, this includes a car mechanic from KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga. He is among three suspects expected to appear in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's Court later this week, while a fourth suspect will appear in the Mamelodi Magistrate's Court, Gauteng, today. Ndlovu and Mdhluli were last seen at their KwaMhlanga home on February 18. According to SAPS national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, the suspects were arrested following investigations that linked them to the missing couple. 'The first suspect was last seen to be in the company of the missing couple. The second, third and fourth suspects were found in possession of different vehicle parts believed to be from the missing journalist's car,' Mathe said. She said two VW Citi Golfs were seized from the suspects. The case has been upgraded to kidnapping and carjacking. Other charges, including house robbery and possession of stolen property, are likely to be added. The search for the missing couple and other suspects continues. In a bid to reignite public interest and intensify the search for Ndlovu and Mdhluli, the National Press Club and African Media Communicators Forum have offered a reward of R100 000 for any information that may lead to their discovery. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
05-05-2025
- The Citizen
Missing couple: KwaMhlanga mechanic among 4 nabbed
Four people were arrested on Sunday, May 4, in connection with the case of a missing journalist, Aserie Ndlovu, and his partner, Zodwa Mdhluli. This includes a car mechanic from KwaMhlanga. He is among the three to appear in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's Court later this week, while a fourth suspect will appear in the Mamelodi Magistrate's Court tomorrow, May 6. ALSO READ: Two men killed in Tekwane South Ndlovu and Mdhluli were last seen in their KwaMhlanga home on February 18. According to the SAPS's national spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, the suspects were arrested following investigations that linked them to the missing couple. The first suspect was last seen to be in the company of the missing couple. The second, third and fourth suspects were found in possession of different vehicle parts believed to be from the missing journalist's car,' Mathe said. She said two VW Citi Golfs were seized from the suspects. The case has been upgraded to a kidnapping and carjacking. Other charges, including a house robbery and possession of stolen property, are likely to be added. The search for the missing couple and other suspects continues. In a bid to reignite public interest and intensify the search for Ndlovu and Mdhluli, the National Press Club and African Media Communicators Forum has offered a reward of R100 000 for any information that may lead to their discovery. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
