Family in shock as SAPS closes murder case

A family is reeling after the SAPS had informed them that the case they had opened when their 18-year-old was stabbed to death, was closed. Sandile Mathebula died following a scuffle at Cubana on November 28, 2020. Last month during a taxi protest in KaNyamazane, Sandile’s grandmother, Rose Mathebula, approached the MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, for help.

As she was telling the story of what had transpired the day her grandson died, the tears were rolling down her face and she accused the police of not doing their duty to arrest the suspect. Holding a picture of her grandson, she said, “At the time of his death, he was busy writing his grade 12 final examinations and had one last paper to write. Then he was taken away from us just like that.” The family said they had hoped that after sharing their grievances with the MEC, they would see new developments in the case, but instead they received a phone call from the police on Tuesday October 19 informing them that the investigations had ended and that the case was closed.

According to Jabu Winnie Mnisi-Mathebula, the mother of the deceased, the police have failed her and her late son. “They do not understand the pain I feel knowing that my son will never get justice. To me this feels like they are not treating him like a human being, but like an animal. If there is something I know about God, as much as we live with animals around us, He still loves them the very same way He loves people, so I wish the police would do the same with my son.The loss of my son is unbearable and watching the system doing absolutely nothing to arrest the suspect makes the pain even worse,” she said.

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Bridgett Zethu Njikho is the aunt of the deceased and took the phone call from the police. “When I received the call, I was disappointed to hear that this was the end to the investigation that had never really started. The police never did their part to assist us. We only got feedback after we had approached them seeking information regarding the case.

We once got information from the investigating officer telling us that since the suspect had run away to eSwatini, they would have to follow procedures and find him there. This was the only information we got, then last week, they told me they were done. As a family we gave them several tips and information about this suspect. We never stopped, but they did not do their part to arrest him. We all know who he is, but he is still out there. Sandile died when he was only 18 years old,” she explained.

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A provincial police spokesperson,Col Donald Mdlhuli, said, “The police did their part in investigating the case and when they were done, as per procedure, they handed it over to court.”By the time of going to press, Mpumalanga News was waiting on feedback from the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, and the SAPS.