Tragedy in Vaal: Two women found buried, five suspects arrested
Nontokozo Mazibuko and Andiswa Sontangane, who were both 25 years old, were found dead after they went missing.
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Gauteng police have made a major breakthrough in the brutal hijacking, kidnapping and murder of two young women, with five suspects arrested in connection with the killing of 25-year-olds Nontokozo Mazibuko and Andiswa Sontangane.
The two women were last seen at a local soccer ground in Evaton, in the Vaal, on December 30. They were reported missing the following day.
Their bodies were later discovered on Randfontein Road, just after Poortjie, on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
Provincial police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said the case escalated after a ransom demand was made to the mother of one of the victims, prompting police to reclassify the matter as hijacking and kidnapping.
“Resources were mobilised to trace and rescue the victims, and on January 8, 2026, their partially decomposed bodies were discovered in an open veld in Poortjie,” Masondo said.
He added that intelligence-led investigations led to the arrest of five suspects on January 13, during which an unlicensed firearm was also recovered.
Four suspects were arrested in Evaton, while the fifth was apprehended in Germiston.
“A preliminary investigation led the team to Brits, where the victims’ vehicle was found abandoned at a car wash. The vehicle was fitted with false number plates but had a valid licence disc. The recovered firearm will be subjected to ballistic testing to determine whether it was used in the commission of the crime,” Masondo said.
All five suspects are expected to appear before the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, January 15.
The Star
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