Latest news with #RustDeWinter
News24
09-05-2025
- News24
Suspects lead police to discovery of human remains believed to be of missing journalist and partner
Police in Mpumalanga have discovered human remains and clothes during the search for missing journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdluli on Thursday afternoon. After being reported missing for three months, their families will soon attain closure. The police confirmed to have been directed to a quiet rural location, Rust De Winter by one of the five suspects that were arrested earlier this week. The suspects have been charged with hijacking and kidnapping the couple. The National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said in order to determine that the remains belonged to Ndlovu and Mdluli DNA tests will have to be conducted. Read more | Gogo Maweni pleads not guilty to assault charges 'The area where the remains were found was pointed out by suspects as the place where they left the pair. The human remains we have found will be taken to pathologists and we will then take DNA samples to match them with the closest relatives, it might need one or two relatives to determine the identity of those remains,'he said. The couple was last seen in February, Ndlovu in particular was last seen by his colleagues on the 18th around 6 pm leaving work, since then none of the partners could be traced or located. A week ago, Media and Communicators Forum (AMCF) and the National Press Club (NPC) urged the police to broaden the search for the missing couple whilst announcing that they were increasing the reward for any information about the missing couple from R50,000 to R100,000. On Wednesday the police visited the families of the missing couple and gave them updates on the progress and intensity of their investigations. During the briefing, Mdhluli's son Treasure expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the time his mother vanished with the journalist. 'As a family, we do believe that we are close to the end, and justice will prevail. For now, we are really grateful for all the support that we are receiving from everyone. Read more | 24 year-old EL man sentenced for raping his grandmother The five suspects appeared at the kwaMhlanga Magistrates court Friday. This after the matter was postponed on Wednesday due to an application brought by the African Media and Communicators Forum and National Press Club on behalf of the media seeking permission to cover the proceedings. 'We have hired a lawyer to represent the media houses, and the lawyer is ready to proceed,' said Elijah Mhlanga, chairperson of the African Media and Communicators Forum.
News24
08-05-2025
- News24
DNA results to confirm in 24 hours if bodies are remains of missing journalist and partner
Deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has assured families of missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu and partner Zodwa Mdhluli that DNA results confirming the identities of two bodies found in Rust De Winter will be available within 24 hours. That the bodies were located in a different province was an attempt by the perpetrators to mislead investigators, said Mpumalanga police commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi. Should the DNA results confirm the identities, murder charges will be added against the five suspects currently in custody for the couple's disappearance. The families of missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Mdhluli, will know within 24 hours if the two bodies recovered in a field in Rust De Winter are, in fact, the remains of the couple. This was an undertaking made by deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, who said while the police were confident they had found the pair, DNA results would still need to confirm it. Sibiya was speaking at the crime scene in Limpopo, where forensic experts were collecting DNA from the remains. He said samples would also be taken from family members for comparison. 'Within 24 hours, it should be clear,' he said. 'As the South African Police Service, we will continue to work very hard to make sure we bring the perpetrators to justice.' READ | Four arrested in connection with missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu, partner The two bodies were found in a bush after one of the five men arrested in connection with the pair's disappearance allegedly pointed police to the area. The pair were last seen in separate locations on 18 February – Mdhluli at their home in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, and Ndlovu leaving Capital Media FM SA, which he ran from a Denlyn Mall booth in Mamelodi, Gauteng. Mpumalanga police commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi said the fact that the bodies were found in a different province was a sign that the perpetrators were trying to throw the police off track. 'As investigations started in Mpumalanga and Gauteng [and now Limpopo], it shows that they were trying to completely mislead us,' he said. 'But we are happy that with all the techniques that have been used, we have been able to get to where we are. Our detectives did well.' Teams from Mpumalanga and Gauteng, reinforced by investigators from the national police, were tasked with investigating the case, using various technologies to trace leads. 'I can't disclose much about the technology used, safe to say that we used technology that was able to show us this is what happened, this is how it happened, and we moved between the areas following what the technology was showing us,' he said. Responding to whether it took the police too long to find Ndlovu and Mdhluli, Sibiya said: 'The process of investigations can't be determined. Sometimes you find bodies within a day or two, sometimes after months, and some bodies are never found at all.' He said should the DNA results positively identify the couple, murder charges would be added against the five men.
News24
08-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Journalist's case shock; PAC hosts ANC-Afrikaner talks: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Police find possible remains of missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu and partner in Limpopo - Police believe they have found the remains of missing journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Mdhluli, who disappeared in February. - Their skeletal remains were discovered in thick bush outside Rust De Winter in Limpopo, along with clothing and shoes. - Five men have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the couple, and they led police to the location of their remains. 'Gloves were off': PAC facilitates 'robust' ANC-Afrikaner exchange - The ANC and the Afrikaner Leadership Network held a heated four-hour meeting facilitated by the PAC to discuss contentious issues. - Key topics included the BELA Act, the Expropriation Act, farm murder claims, and US-SA relations, with both sides agreeing to seek South African solutions. - Details of the discussions are being kept confidential to avoid jeopardising the talks, but the PAC described the meeting as intense and robust. Teacher fired after sexual relationship with pupil, with intimate video trending at school - A teacher, Modise Mokomele, was fired after a video and photos surfaced allegedly showing him in a sexual relationship with a pupil. - Another teacher, Paseka Molefe, was also fired for sexually assaulting a Grade 8 pupil. - The ELRC arbitrator emphasised the prevalence of inappropriate conduct and sexual assault by teachers against pupils, calling it a crisis. 'Mutually destructive' versions: Ex-JSC official contradicts Mbenenge accuser's testimony - A Judicial Conduct Tribunal is investigating sexual harassment accusations against Eastern Cape High Court Judge President Selby Mbenenge by his secretary, Andiswa Mengo, which he denies. - Former JSC law advisor Kutlwano Moretlwe's testimony contradicts Mengo's account of how her initial complaint was compiled, particularly regarding whether Mengo completed it on her own laptop. - Mbenenge's advocate argues that discrepancies in Mengo's testimony undermine her credibility, while Mengo's advocate highlights inconsistencies in Moretlwe's evidence. Dead chickens at a contract farm for Daybreak State-owned Daybreak mulls business rescue after horrified SPCA culls 350 000 starving chicks - State-owned chicken producer Daybreak Foods is considering business rescue due to financial constraints, including the inability to afford feed and pay staff. - The NSPCA was forced to cull 350 000 starving chicks at Daybreak's contract farms, where some birds had been without food and water for a week and resorted to cannibalism. - The PIC, Daybreak's owner, is 'deeply disturbed' by the reports and is engaging with stakeholders to find a solution to preserve assets and jobs. Sacha and Gaza: Same, same, but (very) different - Damian Willemse's upcoming 100th cap for the Stormers highlights the team's backline strength, which also includes Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, another highly talented player. - While both Willemse and Feinberg-Mngomezulu are exceptional talents, they have different approaches to the game and different personalities, with Willemse being more versatile and Feinberg-Mngomezulu preferring to play flyhalf. - Despite their differences, both players are highly respected within the team for their work ethic, respectfulness, and the unique qualities they bring to the Stormers. BYD has launched three new models in the SA
