Byline: Nhlambo Nonjabuliso
14 January 2024
Zwelithini Khanye and Simphiwe Thanjekwayo were discovered deceased on Saturday morning, 11 January 2025, in eMbalenhle ext. 25, section E.
According to the police statement, preliminary investigations suggested that the two male victims had been hired to perform some work at the home of the constable’s cousin, it was then alleged that subsequent to that a television was stolen from the property, prompting the cousin to seek assistance from his constable cousin in recovering the stolen item. The police constable is said to have been off duty at the time of the incident.
Both family members said they were woken up at about 00h00 midnight on Friday, 10 January 2025, by two men who happened to be a police constable and a friend together with the female cousin of the constable; subsequently, the victims were then taken, and the families were told they were being taken to the police station.
According to Zwelis family member , members of the cousin’s family came to their residential place on Friday to search for a stolen television, which they gave them access to search the entire house, but the said TV was not found.
The family member further said his brother Zweli, had a good relationship with the said cousin, such that Zweli had spare keys to access her house since he was the one building the house with Simphiwe.
“She came with her cousin who is a police constable and a friend that midnight and asked Zweli if he knew anything about a TV, and Zweli responded he didn’t know anything about a TV.
“I think why she suspected my brother was because she had given him the house keys. Zweli had those keys for the longest time. Why would he then steal from her now? He still had the job of finishing building the house and his building toolbox was in that house also.
The police constable told Zweli to come with him so they could talk. I informed them I needed to wake up my nephew so he could witness what was happening, but when I got back, they had already taken Zweli with them. We then went to the cousin’s house to inquire where Zweli was, and she told us they took him to the police station.
But because it was midnight and we did not have transport, we could not follow them to the police station. When we went to inquire at the police station in the morning, we were informed that he was not there and no case was opened, only to find out later that he was brutally murdered,” said the deceased family member.
Mr Thenjekwayo also told Seskhona Media that he’s still shocked after the people who came to take his son Simphiwe forcefully broke his door and entered the house shouting ‘Where is the TV’?.
He further narrated how his son was taken outside while it was raining and was forced to lie down, assaulted together with his friends. Both deceased were said to have been taken by the alleged suspect and his two accomplices. “I learned of the death of my son through social media after I went to search for him at the police station but could not find him,” said the deceased father.
Sibusiso Sibeko who is a constable at Embalenhle Police Station was arrested on Saturday after handing himself to the police, he is expected to appear before the Evander magistrates for a formal bail hearing on Monday, 20 January 2025.
