Five Suspects Nabbed in Hijacking, Kidnapping, and Murder of Two Women
- Five suspects were arrested for the shocking hijacking, kidnapping, and murder of two women in Gauteng
- The two victims were reported missing, with a ransom demand linked to their case
- Police traced the women to an open veld in Poortjie, where their bodies were found
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
GAUTENG, ORANGE FARM - Authorities in Gauteng have arrested five people in connection with the hijacking, kidnapping, and murder of two women whose partially decomposed bodies were discovered on Thursday, 8 January 2026, on a plot in Poortjie near Orange Farm.
Ransom demand was allegedly made
The victims, Nontokozo Mazibuko and Andiswa Sontangane, went missing in December 2025 and were reported to the police by their families on New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2025. After their disappearance, investigators said a ransom demand was allegedly made to one of the women’s mothers, which led police to treat the case as involving hijacking and kidnapping in addition to the murders.
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Police traced the women to an open veld in Poortjie, where their bodies were found on 8 January 2026. Following leads from intelligence sources, officers arrested five suspects on 13 January 2026, four in Evaton and one in Germiston. During the arrests, police recovered an unlicensed firearm and located the victims’ vehicle, which had false number plates, abandoned at a car wash in Brits.
Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, spokesperson for Gauteng police, said Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni welcomed the arrests. The five suspects are expected to appear in the Vereeniging Magistrates’ Court on 15 January 2026.
What did South Africans say?
Social media users shared their opinions regarding the brutal murders.
@Cathy_blessings said:
"Mara, this is sad. What is happening in our country?"
@KhomotsoX said:
"I just hope they arrested the right people and not just trying to shift attention to something else happening in the country."
@DAKABOY_i said:
"We need harsher punishments because jail is a holiday to a lot of people."
@t2humsi said:
"I'm glad that the suspects were found so quickly in this case. I hope justice is served!"
@Royale_Mofokeng said:
"I guess killing another person is not such a big deal to other people. But how do we even begin to? May their souls haunt the killers forever."
Source: Getty Images
Other murder-related stories
The community of Tsakane is in mourning and outrage after the brutal rape and murder of Nobabili Nyauza (49), whose lifeless body was found near a pedestrian bridge between Extensions 8 and 11. Nyauza, the 14th of 15 siblings, had spent the day attending her aunt’s funeral with close friends and family.
Two women, aged 42 and 54, were found stabbed to death in Gomba locality, Hlabatshana A/A, in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape. It is alleged that the 30-year-old male suspect had a romantic affair with the 54-year-old female victim, who owned the homestead.
Woman sentenced for boyfriend's murder
In another story, Briefly News reported that an Mpumalanga woman was sentenced to 20 years for murdering her police officer boyfriend.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told Briefly News the Mpumalanga High Court found Zanele Mkhonto guilty of killing Mandlenkosi Thwala.
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Source: Briefly News
