Slain Centurion businessman was attacked at ‘holy’ river

Centurion businessman and father of two Peter Motshweni, who went missing before he was found dead, was attacked near a river used by community members for cleansing.

Motshweni went missing on June 2, and his wife opened a missing person’s docket the next day after he did not come home. 

Last week, police said Motshweni was shot dead. Two other people who were with him at the scene were wounded during the shooting. 

“Yes, I can confirm they were robbed of their cellphones and an undisclosed amount cash when they were attacked,” said police spokesperson Capt Mavela Masondo. 

TimesLIVE Premium understands that Motshweni first met a woman at a local shopping centre in Erasmia, on the northern outskirts of Centurion, on the day he disappeared.  

“He then left his vehicle there and got into the vehicle of the female companion and they drove to the river,” a police source with knowledge of the investigation said. 

It was at the river in the open veld, not far from the Mooiplaas informal settlement in Tshwane, that Motshweni and the woman were robbed. The third person who was wounded, happened to be near the river during the shooting, the source said. 

When TimesLIVE Premium visited the river on Tuesday, there were people who had come to get water from it.

Community members from the nearby Mooiplaas informal settlement visit the river as they believe the water flowing has cleansing powers. The river’s water looks clean and residents drink from it. Next to the water is a deep dark hole. 

Apostle Runesu Beteri, who leads a local church, said the water is used by the congregants. 

“If someone has bad luck, we wash them with the water and they get cleansed. Also when someone is ill, we give them the water and they help the person heal. We drink the water because it is safe to drink. We have never had any problems with it. 

“It is sad that they killed someone here,” said Beteri. 

Motshweni last spoke to his wife Lindiwe Motshweni on June 2, when he alerted her that he would not be able to fetch the children from school. He later sent a WhatsApp message with an image of his car, a Toyota Legend, with a text saying “marketing”. 

Motshweni is expected to be laid to rest in Monsterlus, Limpopo, on Wednesday.