Following her visit to the crime scenes on Saturday (August 22), the Western Cape minister of police oversight and community safety, Anroux Marais, has welcomed the arrests in connection with conspiracy to commit murder involving the slain former Knysna mayor and ward councillor Aubrey Tsengwa, reports Knysna-Plett Herald.

Tsengwa was fatally wounded in a shooting that also left three other people injured. One of the victims was initially hospitalised in a critical condition.

During the suspects’ court appearance on Monday (August 24), the court heard that the hospitalised victim was recovering and was no longer in a critical condition.

The three suspects are facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder. A charge of murder and three counts of attempted murder have since been added to the case. A possible fourth count of attempted murder may still be added, pending the condition and outcome of the hospitalised victim. 

A fourth suspect handed himself over to the police; however, not at the Plettenberg Bay Police Station, as was reported yesterday, but at the Knysna Police Station, and he is now being detained in Plettenberg Bay for his own safety.

Marais said the arrests were an important development in the investigation and commended the work of the integrated SAPS team involved, including the Serious and Violent Crime detectives, Crime Intelligence, the local police, the combat team and the drone unit. “I welcome the hard work and commitment demonstrated by the integrated SAPS team, which has resulted in these arrests,” Marais said.

She said the investigation must establish the full circumstances and motive behind the attack and ensure that every person involved in planning, facilitating or carrying it out is identified, arrested and brought before the courts.

Marais added that she would continue monitoring developments in the case and the progress of the investigation. “While we welcome these arrests, the work is not yet done. I encourage the SAPS team to continue pursuing all available leads until the full extent of this attack has been uncovered and all those responsible are brought to justice,” she concluded.

The search for additional suspects continues.

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