Provincial police spokesperson Motantsi Makhele says, overall, four suspects between the ages of 21 and 32-years-old are now in police custody in connection with the violent house robberies that came to national media attention when three students - two of which attended UFS whilst another studied at Maluti Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) - were murdered nearly two weeks ago in the Botjhabela Village. 

The deceased from the UFS have been identified as first-year social science student Sigcino Zimba, originally from KwaZulu-Natal, and second-year administration student Thabani Manqele, also from KZN. Not much is revealed about the operation that led to the most recent two arrests except that authorities apprehended the suspects with the assistance of students and the local community. 

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A plethora of suspected stolen items were recovered in the operation. These goods include clothes, shoes, cellphones, speakers, an amplifier, a camera, monitor screens, blankets, and bags. Some of the items were positively identified by lawful owners.

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Whilst the latest apprehended suspects are being charged with house robbery, attempted murder, and murder, the two other suspects are only being charged with possession of unlicensed firearms for now. These latter two suspects, both 27-years-old, were allegedly shot at during the commission of a house robbery that took place in Phamong Village last week Monday. 

In this second house robbery, that occurred in Phamong Village five days after the robbery of the students, two of the three suspects sustained gunshot wounds in a tussle with one of the victims. They are receiving medical treatment under guard at a local hospital in the Eastern Free State.

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Makhele says ”their case has been presented before the Tseki Magistrate’s Court on 30 September, in their absentia, and postponed to 22 October 2021 for legal aid and bail application”. Police are now linking the accused to other robberies in the area occurring two months ago with a similar modus operandi.

”Tseki Detectives request members of the community in Qwaqwa, who were allegedly attacked by unknown people who were armed with firearms and knives in their homes or streets, to approach Tseki police station physically during office hours to be assisted in identifying their properties. These visits can be done between 07:30 and 16:30 at the Tseki Police Station Detective Service office,” says Makhele.

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