14-05-2025
Missing journalist's stepson believes human remains found are his parents
After months of searching for his missing parents, he has been overwhelmed with anxiety and fear following the discovery of human remains, which authorities believe may belong to them.
Treasure Mdluli (30) who is the son of Zodwa who went missing with journalist Sibusiso Ndlovu believes that the human remains discovered by the police belong to his mother and her partner.
He told Drum Magazine that DNA samples were drawn from him on Friday morning and he is anxiously waiting for the results.
'There is a high chance that these are my parents, who have been found. The police did however, promise me that they would speed up the process because there is a backlog for obtaining DNA results,' said Treasure.
He explained that this has been a hard time for their family and no one is taking the news well.
'I honestly don't know how I've managed to go about my days without losing my mind, especially when we were still clueless and continuously searching with no breakthroughs. We are a bit relieved that we are now getting answers but it doesn't make our burden any lighter and comes with a lot of pain,' said a distraught Treasure.
Treasure recalled the last moments he spent with his parents and described them as jolly and full of love.
'I last saw them on the Sunday before they went missing on Tuesday. I was set to drive back from their place to Joburg but they asked me to spend one more night with them, so I slept over. We chatted until late and then went to bed. The next morning I drove my mother to work and then I left town. I last spoke to her on the morning of the Tuesday they went missing,'he said.
The spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa said that court proceedings were postponed due to one of the suspects falling ill on Friday Morning.
Nyuswa said the suspect had to be rushed to a medical center which brought the court case to a standstill.
Adding that although the expectation was that five suspects would be on the dock, only the two ( Samuel Mogongwe and his co-accused, Lucky Sikhosana) that are facing kidnapping charges appeared.
'The pair that appeared today has been linked by cellphone data to the last location of the missing couple.'
'Just to clarify the three other suspects that were charged with possession of stolen property will appear later this month, bearing in mind that one of them is a minor and is likely to appear separately.'
Nyuswa said the matter was postponed to the 19th of May 2025, and investigations are continuing.
