Five men from Mozambique, aged between 19 and 40, were arrested following the hijacking and murder of Nkangala’s chief communications manager David ‘Sombu’ Masombuka (64) in eMalahleni between Sunday and yesterday.

Masombuka’s bereaved family said that they last saw him on Sunday before he travelled to eMalahleni for a municipal IDP meeting in Klarinet.

Questionable transactions on his bank account led family members to report him missing to the police after they failed numerous times to contact him.

Masombuka worked as the divisional manager of communication, marketing and branding at Nkangala District Municipality. He was employed at the municipality for 12 years.

The suspects are expected to appear at eMalahleni Magistrate’s Court today, facing multiple charges, including murder, hijacking and possession of suspected stolen property.

According to investigations, Masombuka was driving from Kwamhlanga for the IDP meeting but did not arrive at his destination.

After the family reported him missing at Kwamhlanga Police Station and alerted Witbank SAPS, they also notified the tracking company. The victim’s vehicle was located near a fuel station in eMalahleni.

Collaboration between the tracker company and SAPS resulted in the swift arrest of the suspects. During their arrest, it is reported that they were found with some personal items believed to belong to Masombuka.

A subsequent investigation led to the discovery of the victim’s body in the bushes next to the Bulpan filling station on Verena road.

Investigators are working in partnership with officials from the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain the status of the suspects, and charges relating to contravention of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 could be added.

“The collaboration between the tracker company and SAPS members was instrumental in bringing the suspects to justice,” the acting provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, says.

The family has further revealed that confessions led to the retrieval of Masombuka’s body in the early hours of yesterday morning.

They thanked the tracking company and police for their efforts in finding Masombuka and apprehending his alleged killers.

The family is yet to release about his memorial service and burial.

The Nkangala District Municipality has sent condolences to his family and loved ones.

Details about the murder and how it was committed have not been released.

Masombuka fostered a close relationship with Middelburg Observer journalists, with regular phone calls and visits to the offices where he enjoyed chatting about photography. He will be sadly missed.