The family of a 64-year-old breadwinner who believe she was shot dead last month by extortionists demanding protection fees in Cape Town is relieved police have arrested two suspects, but want to “share the depth of our loss” with them.
Nophumela Makeleni sold cow head meat in Kraaifontein to supplement a state grant and support her family.
Police confirmed on Thursday two suspects were arrested in connection with the murder on the evening of August 20.
Makeleni was approached by “customers” wanting to purchase meat. Once inside her shack they allegedly shot her in the head and fled. Police offered a R100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects.
The family told TimesLIVE Premium they had lost a breadwinner and spent about R65,000 transporting her body to the Eastern Cape and hosting the funeral. Her elderly husband, devastated by the loss, may never recover and has vowed never to return to Cape Town.
This arrest shows us the state exists. The government is capable of solving such matters when authorities put their hearts and minds into them. This will restore the public’s faith in the state
— Makeleni's brother-in-law Simphiwe Makeleni
Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said two suspects, aged 29 and 33, were arrested on Wednesday.
“A three-week manhunt to trace the suspect/s who had been positively linked to the murder of Makeleni bore fruit with the arrest of the suspects for whom warrants of arrests were issued,” said Pojie.
“For the past three weeks, various leads and information received and pursued led the investigation team across the province, culminating in the arrests of the two fugitives on a farm in Klapmuts during a takedown operation.”
Pojie said an unlicensed firearm linked to a house robbery in Klapmuts in August was seized.
“The suspects face charges of murder and house robbery and will appear in the Blue Downs magistrate's court once charged. The possibility that more charges could be added is not excluded,” he said.
Makeleni's brother-in-law Simphiwe Makeleni said the killing had all the hallmarks of an “extortion-related killing”. He said the family would like to “bare our hearts” and share the “depth of our loss with the suspects”.
“We are happy to hear these alleged killers have been arrested,” said Simphiwe.
“These men no longer heed the law. They seem to have taken brutal killing as a daily chore.”
He said his sister-in-law’s killers were brazen which “shows they had forgotten the state exists. The level of disdain they have for the law is appalling. I think they have got away with worse. The hitmen did not even cover their faces when they killed my sister-law,” said Simphiwe.
“They strolled after killing [her]. Maybe they thought she was an animal. Even animals are treated better when they are slaughtered.
“We are deeply hurt. My bother cried when he saw the hearse bringing his wife’s remains. He could not believe it when we told him until he saw the hearse. Remember, his wife was not sick.”
Simphiwe said the family dug deep into their pockets to give his sister-in-law a decent burial.
“We spent about R65,000 to transport my sister’s remains to the Eastern Cape and on the funeral. It is evident the breadwinner is gone. But God is watching. People can do evil under the veil of darkness but he reveals you to the world.
“This arrest shows us the state exists. The government is capable of solving such matters when authorities put their hearts and minds into them. This will restore the public’s faith in the state.”
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