SAPS Officer Released for Girlfriend Murder Rearrested for Intimidating Witness

• The South African Police Service rearrested the police officer accused of murdering his girlfriend was thrown back into jail
• Mandla Buthelezi allegedly intimidated a witness shortly after he was granted bail
• South Africans demanded that he be denied bail and slammed the National Prosecuting Authority for releasing him on bail

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG — South Africans slammed the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for granting murder accused Mandla Buthelezi. This was after Buthelezi was re-arrested for violating his bail conditions and intimidating a witness.

According to SABC News, Buthelezi, who was arrested in December 2024 for allegedly murdering his girlfriend Chesnay Keppler on the same nth, intimidated a witness and violated his parole conditions. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) arrested him outside the Johannesburg High Court. He has been detained at the Moroka Police Station in Soweto.

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Why was Buthelezi arrested?

Buthelezi was arrested after he reportedly gunned down Keppler on 26 December 2024. Buthelezi allegedly went to Keppler's house in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg. He allegedly fired multiple times through a window, killing Keppler. He then escaped and was arrested days later. He appeared in court and was charged with murder.

Keppler, who was a Gauteng Traffic Warden, was laid to rest on 4 January 2025. The Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, attended the funeral and vowed that the government would intensify its fight against gender-based violence.

Buthelezi appeared before the Protea Magistrates Court in Soweto and was granted R20,000 bail. Keppler's family was fuming after he was granted bail. Her aunt, Elsabe Whittin, said that the criminal justice system failed them.

What did South Africans say?

South Africans questioned why he was granted bail.

Sky_Tee RSA askewd:

Why was this guy granted bail?"

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Mrs Dlamini asked:

"Why does SA law grant these murder suspects bail, though? So they can go and become suspects for more murders?"

Mansa Musa said:

"They should stop giving the police guns to take home because they don't have discipline."

Champlin F asked:

"Why is our court system always giving these evil people bail?"

Spencer said:

"If SAPS members had to go through the process of obtaining firearm licenses like ordinary citizens, they would have understood the Firearms Control Act. Unfortunately, they use state-issued permits to handle firearms with little to no training on firearms law."

Tiffany Meek denied bail

In another murder-related article, Briefly News reported that murder-accused Tiffany Meek was denied bail after she appeared before the Roodepoort Magistrates Court. Meek was charged with the murder of his 11-year-old son, Jayden-Lee Meek.

Meek was arrested in July, months after her son was found dead outside of their home in Fleurhof, Roodepoort. She is expected to appear on 17 September 2025 for a pre-trial hearing.

Source: Briefly News