KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has welcomed as the “work well done” the arrest of a man allegedly responsible for a number of rapes and murders in the uThongathi area, in KwaZulu-Natal.
This man was arrested early on Sunday morning in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province following a top level investigation undertaken by a special task team. This team was established by the provincial police management to probe several murders of women around this coastal town of uThongathi. Their bodies were in a decomposed state.
Over the past few months, there have been five murder cases of women that were investigated, who were all lured by a particular suspect promising to offer them jobs. The victims were allegedly raped and murdered around the bushes in the uThongathi area in KwaZulu-Natal.
Through police investigations, a girl believed to be an accomplice of the man was arrested last month, with the man subsequently going on the run. Between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, police narrowed down their search to Port Elizabeth, where the man was arrested around 3am.
The man had also been linked to three separate murder cases, and other rapes. He is expected to appear in the Verulam Magistrate's Court on tomorrow (Tuesday, July 23, 2013).
Mchunu today welcomed the arrest of this suspect, thanking the police for a job well done which sends a clear message to criminals, murderers and rapists that the gallant efforts of men and women in blue would always make sure that such elements would always face the full might of the law.
“The Government has severally warned that those who harass abuse and molest women, children and elderly would be spared no space to commit their totally abhorrent deeds on the weak.”
“We have identified these as priority crimes and our police threat them as such. I want to thank police officers and detectives working on this case for the work well done.”
“The message to those bent on meting violence on women is that they should always expect that the long arm of law will always catch up with them.” “I call upon communities to be on the look-out for such people and report them to the police,” said Mchunu.
He said he would be watching the proceedings of this case with keen interest and had confidence on the men and women working on this file will exhibit professionalism that would ensure that those responsible for these murders face a long term in jail.
“We have said time again that communities and police, working together, will soon close the space for those harassing the community. With this kind of partnership, I am convinced that criminals will have no space to hide and to continue meting out their nefarious deeds,” said Mchunu.
Media enquiries:
Kwanele Ncalane
Cell: 072 803 1462/ 079 699 5755
E-mail: Kwanele.ncalane@kzntransport.gov.za
Sipho Khumalo
Cell: 082 682 6437
E-mail: Sipho.khumalo@comsafety.gov.za
