People have been urged be extra careful when dealing with social networks.
An alleged social media predator and love seeker was shot dead by police after he lured a 24-year-old woman in the Eastern Cape.
The 33-year-old male suspect was shot dead by police in Mbutho locality on Friday as police attended to a case of abduction.
Abduction
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo said Tsolo officers responded to the matter after receiving a complaint.
“An officer received a case of abduction whereby a 24-year-old female victim from Libode alleged that she was lured by the suspect into a love affair through social media and both met in Mthatha on Thursday, 15 January 2026 and proceeded to Tsolo in a taxi.
“On their way to Mbutho locality on foot, the male suspect threatened the victim with a knife and raped her in an open field. On arrival at Mbutho locality, the suspect raped the woman, and she managed to report telephonically to her relatives,” Matyolo said.
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Grim discovery
He added that police were alerted.
“On their arrival, the suspect charged at the police with a knife and was shot at and succumbed to his injuries. Preliminary investigation revealed that three women aged between 25 and 29 years were reported as missing at Tsolo police station from 24 December 2025 till 15 January 2026 and were all found dead in an open field.
“Police are busy establishing the link between their deaths and the suspect through the suspect’s cellphone records. He had contacted the three deceased victims before their deaths,” Matyolo said.
Warning about social media
Matyolo added that an inquest docket has been opened with charges ranging from rape, abduction, resisting arrest, to attack on police, whilst further investigation has been handed over to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
Matyolo said OR Tambo District Police Commissioner, Major General Norman Modishana, warned people about social networks.
“He is sending a warning to everyone to be extra careful when dealing with social networks, as people are often scammed and fall prey to those scams. He urged the Investigating teams to identify any direct linkages between the deceased victims and the suspect to ensure closure to all affected families.”
The investigation is continuing.
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