“We Can’t Eat or Sleep”: Family of Missing Vosloorus Shop Owner Speaks Out
- The family of a missing Vosloorus spaza shop owner, Mazwi Mpumelelo Kubheka (27), is speaking out after he went missing on 2 April 2026
- He was last seen leaving home to deposit rent money and buy stock; however, he never arrived at his shop
- The family suspects foul play. Police say a missing person case is open, and two people of interest have been questioned
Source: Twitter
GAUTENG — The family of missing Vosloorus spaza shop owner Mazwi Mpumelelo Kubheka (27) has spoken out about their ongoing pain and frustration as his disappearance continues to draw growing national and political attention.
Kubheka went missing on 2 April 2026 after leaving home, reportedly to deposit rent money and purchase stock for his shop. He has not been seen since.
According to his sister, Nomhle Kubheka, the young shop owner was last seen on the morning of his disappearance carrying his laptop and lunch. She said she initially assumed he had gone to drop off the laptop at the shop, but later discovered he never arrived.
Missing Vosloorus man's sister speaks out
Speaking to the Sowetan, Nomhle described the family’s anguish as the search stretches on without answers.
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"We suspect his disappearance has something to do with some Somali guys and a man called Zulu,” she said.
She explained that her brother had previously mentioned being approached by individuals allegedly seeking to rent a shop on behalf of Somali business operators. Kubheka reportedly declined the offer. Since then, the family claims he noticed a suspicious white van frequently parked outside his business premises.
Nomhle added that her brother, who had recently been unemployed, only began operating the spaza shop in February 2025. The family believes the circumstances surrounding his disappearance point to possible foul play.
The emotional toll on the family has been severe. Nomhle said the disappearance has been especially devastating as the family is still mourning the loss of their mother in 2024.
"We can’t bear the thought of losing him too. We can’t eat or sit comfortably in this weather without worrying whether he has eaten or is warm wherever he is,” she said.
Police opened a missing person case
Police spokesperson Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that a missing person case is under investigation. She said two persons of interest were taken in for questioning on Sunday, 26 April 2026, and the case docket has since been submitted to the senior prosecutor for a decision. No arrests have been made at this stage.
The case has also attracted political attention, with ActionSA stepping in to demand stronger intervention. The party says its president, Herman Mashaba, will lead a delegation to hand-deliver an urgent memorandum to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, calling for immediate national intervention.
Herman Mashaba and Lerato Ngobeni, representing ActionSA, say the disappearance reflects deeper systemic failures in policing and coordination in Vosloorus.
See video of Action SA leaders speaking about the case:
Kubheka was last seen in the Marimba Gardens area of Vosloorus. As the investigation continues without a breakthrough, community concern is growing, with calls for greater transparency and urgency from law enforcement authorities.
Suspects let go after questioning
The South African Police Service has come under further scrutiny after two people were taken in for questioning in the disappearance of Kubheka. The family later confirmed that the suspects were released after they were questioned, leading to an uproar on social media. Some reports, however, indicated that the two persons of interest were interviewed and their statements were obtained, noting that they were not linked to the case and not arrested, as some accounts claimed.
Source: Getty Images
Missing KZN businessman found deceased
Briefly News also reported that a missing KZN businessman was found deceased in Verulam. Officers were dispatched to Estuary Drive in Riverview on Tuesday morning after reports of a man lying unresponsive in the roadway. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was declared dead on the scene. He was identified as businessman Navin Shurren from Trenance Park, who was reported missing by his family the day before.
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Source: Briefly News
