A 40-year-old man will today appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court after he was arrested in connection with the murder of an ANC councillor and two party members.

Sbonelo Mthembu Ntshangase (36), and Sandile Khumalo (51) and Sizwe Mbingo (40) were killed at Longhomes Township in Piet Retief on Friday.

Two male suspects aged 43 and 52 were initially arrested and Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela expressed her gratitude to the investigating team after the latest arrest.

The suspect, who is from uMbumbulu in KZN, was detained for questioning on Tuesday and subsequently charged with murder.

Manamela further urges members of the public, including families as well as colleagues of the slain victims to remain calm and allow police the time to investigate to bring all perpetrators thereof to book while allowing due processes of the law to take its course.

“We have always stayed true and committed to our call of duty, that of preventing crime, and when crime has been committed we are obligated in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, to investigate and bring perpetrators thereof to book. We still need members of the public to come forth with details which may assist in the investigation. We promise to treat such information with much delicacy” assures Manamela.