Two year later and still no justice for families of toddlers murdered in eMbalenhle
No arrests yet after the bodies of four-year-old Thingo Mahlangu and two-year-old Khayone Pakeni were discovered in 2024 several months apart, not far from their homes.
The families of two toddlers whose bodies were found dumped in the veld near Ext 16 in eMbalenhle still await answers almost two years after the incidents.
In 2024, the bodies of four-year-old Thingo Mahlangu and two-year-old Khayone Pakeni were discovered several months apart, not far from their homes. Thingo disappeared from his home on April 17, 2024, while Khayone disappeared on October 9, 2024. Both children were murdered, intensifying fears among residents.
Thingo’s grandmother, Albertina Mgentsu, says the family feels abandoned by authorities.
“We have not received any updates from the police about the investigation. The last time we saw them was during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign in December 2024, when they came to lay flowers where the children’s bodies were found,” said Mgentsu.
She added that the police assured the families during that campaign that there would soon be arrests.
“After that event, no police officer came to inform us about the progress of the investigation, whether they found any links or arrested any suspects in Thingo’s murder. Even now, we are in the dark and in pain,” she said.
Mgentsu said the lack of communication has deepened the grief, and as the family, they are pleading with law enforcement to provide clarity on the status of the investigations.
Community members are concerned about safety in the area, calling for visible policing and swift justice for the slain children.
