New development in Olorato Mongale murder case

Picture of Kyle Zeeman

By Kyle Zeeman

News Editor


Police were on the hunt for three men linked with the 30 year old's murder.


A suspect linked to the murder of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale has reportedly handed himself over to police.

Mongale went on a date with her alleged killer on Sunday, only for her body to be later found in Lombardy West. Police began a manhunt for Phila Makhanya, Fezile Ngubane and Bongani Mthimkhulu in connection with the murder.

Makhanya was killed in a police shootout on Friday.

Hours later, EWN reported another unnamed suspect had handed himself over at KwaMashu police station in KwaZulu-Natal.

“The second one [main suspect] handed himself over to police in KwaMashu. The other one [a third suspect] I’m told ran somewhere, out of the country or whatever.

“That means nothing, we will find him. And I did appeal to them to hand themselves over to the nearest police station. Or else… they must know, we want them dead or alive,” the publication quoted Police Minister Senzo Mchunu as saying.

Suspect over the border?

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Friday said that Mkhwanazi had told a man who he wanted to borrow a car from, that a fellow suspect was heading to the border.

“When he asked him [Makhanya] about the second suspect, he said he was told the other suspect is going to Zimbabwe. So, he [the second suspect] has disappeared and we are still trying to locate him as well.

“We know the main suspect was this one, which we managed to locate here. The team in Gauteng is tracing the other suspect and sharing information with us.”

Mkhwanazi said that two others who assisted Makhanya to escape were taken into custody as accomplices in escaping and evading arrest.

Mongale will be laid to rest following a funeral service on Sunday.

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KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Murder Police