A Pretoria man, who was said to have died in a house fire last year, was arrested last week after police found him inside a stolen vehicle.

Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo says Sibusiso Mahlangu, a resident of Soshanguve, was arrested in Hammanskraal after a tip-off was received.

“Police responded quickly and stopped the white VW [Volkswagen] Polo in Hammanskraal. After preliminary investigations, it was determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, in April.

“Sibusiso was arrested and charged with possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle,” says Masondo.

Masondo tells Pretoria Rekord that after further investigation, it was determined that Sibusiso was declared deceased in January 2022.

“He allegedly killed and burned a person in Soshanguve in January 2022, then fled to Mpumalanga and a charge of murder was [subsequently] added.”

Sibusiso and his wife, Lerato, briefly appeared before the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court, to face charges of murder, obstructing the administration of justice, and fraud.

The NPA confirmed that Sibusiso faked his death.

“It is alleged that he killed a person at his RDP house and thereafter burned the house with the body of the deceased inside,” says NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.

Mahanjana adds that Lerato then claimed the burnt body was her husband.

“Despite knowing that her husband was still alive, Lerato buried the wrong person, supposedly claiming he was Sibusiso.

“She registered Sibusiso’s death at the Department of Home Affairs and allegedly got a fake death certificate. The deceased buried in the place of Sibusiso was reported missing by his family, only to find out now that he was buried already.

“Lerato applied for a life insurance payout, claiming her husband was dead,” explains Mahanjana.

Both are remanded in custody pending further inquiries, and will appear in the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

Today is World Press Freedom Day.

Irma Green, Group Editor of Caxton Local Media, says the threat to local journalism has become more imminent over the past two years.

“Even on a hyperlocal level we are experiencing an increase of events where our journalists are threatened, intimidated and withheld from reporting on stories in their communities. We do, however, act vigorously on these threats and haven’t shied away to address any of the threats made against us.

“It does have an impact on our journalists and their well-being as many of these threats are directed not only to them but also towards their families.”