Shortly after two children, Junior Mabandla (6) and Peaceful Khoza (3), were laid to rest by their families on Tuesday, the Mpumalanga SAPS confirmed the death of the 18-year-old man suspected to be connected to the murders.

“The Mpumalanga SAPS can confirm that a message was received on Thursday that the suspect, who was under police guard, did not make it. I can confirm his death,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Captain Magonseni Nkosi.

The suspect, Siviwe Thulare, was admitted to Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela after an alleged mob attack in an attempt to force him to reveal Peaceful’s whereabouts as she was last seen with him.

Thulare, who is said to have been best friends with Peaceful’s father, had pointed out the separate shallow graves in Pienaar in which both Peaceful and Junior were buried, to the mob.

Junior had been missing since June 3 and Peaceful disappeared on July 3.

After he was physically assaulted in a mob justice attack, the man allegedly pointed out where Peaceful was buried and she was exhumed on July 4.

Peaceful was discovered murdered, burnt and buried, in a shallow grave behind a house that allegedly belonged to the man’s late grandmother in Ncakeni in Pienaar.

Community members said the man also pointed out where the missing six-year-old, Junior Mabandla, was buried.

His body was found inside a shopping bag and buried on top of an existing grave in the Ncakeni Cemetery.

Police spokesperson Donald Mdluli Mdhluli previously said the man was arrested and hospitalised after the attack.

“An investigation into the murders has been launched. Although we cannot rule out that these killings were part of ritual practices, it is yet to be determined whether the children were sexually violated and/or mutilated. It is also possible that the suspect in these murders could have worked with other people,” he said.