A fifth suspect in the murder case of Jacob Khoaele, who was the regional manager at Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), has been arrested by the police.
The suspect, Khethukuthula Mthethwa, from Umlazi township, made a brief appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court this week.
Mthethwa will be joining Sandile Sakhile Ngcobo, Mthandeni Cele, and twin brothers Vukile and Vukani Mchunu, who were arrested earlier this year.
The State alleges that Khoaele refused to approve tender payment for work done by the Mchunu twins, as he deemed it substandard.
As a result, he was shot dead on January 22, 2025, in La Lucia, while returning from his grandchild’s school meeting.
According to the affidavit of the investigating officer of the case, Sergeant Nkosinathi Madonsela, the shooters began firing at Khoaele while still in their car, and they exited the car and continued shooting at him.
Madonsela stated that the incident was recorded by a nearby camera on Shelbourne Road.
During court proceedings, Mthethwa indicated that he would be applying for bail, and the matter was postponed to next week. Additionally, the Mchunu twins are also set to apply for bail on new facts in early November.
This is after Magistrate Siyanda Mlaba refused them bail and cited that they did not give the court any exceptional circumstances that warranted them to get bail, which was under Schedule 6 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
During the twins’ bail application, the court learned that a former Prasa manager was forced to resign because of the twins, who wanted to be paid for work that Prasa was not satisfied with.
“Everyone at Prasa is afraid of the applicants (twins) due to the known fact that they threatened their colleague and killed the other,” Senior State prosecutor, Calvin Govender, said.
Govender also mentioned that the State plans to present evidence during the trial, including video footage of the incident and cellphone records.
He added that they would use cellphone mapping to show the accused’ movements as they allege that they followed Khoaele on the day of the incident.
Ngcobo and Cele have since abandoned bail.
nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za
