Vosloorus Spaza Shop Owner Mazwi Kubheka Found Alive After Month-Long Disappearance

• Mazwi Mpumelelo Kubheka reported to a police station in Vosloorus, exactly one month after he was last seen alive
• The 27-year-old was last seen alive on 2 April 2026, with reports surfacing that he was kidnapped for refusing to sell his shop
• ActionSA leader, Heman Mashaba, said that authorities confirmed to him some details about who was responsible for Kubheka's disappearance

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG - Mazwi Mpumelelo Kubheka has been found alive, a month after he was last seen.

The 27-year-old spaza shop owner from Vosloorus was reported missing on 02 April 2026. Kubheka was last seen on 2 April at Marimba Gardens. He left in the morning to deposit money, but never reached the bank.

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It was widely reported that he went missing after allegedly refusing to sell his shop to foreign nationals. His disappearance sparked an outcry in the country, with ActionSA particularly calling on police and President Cyril Ramaphosa to prioritise the case.

Kubheka showed up at a police station

Late on Saturday, 02 May 2026, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that Kubheka had been found safe. The Gauteng Provincial Police Spokesperson said that the 27-year-old presented himself at the Vosloorus Police Station.

“His identity has been verified and will be reunited with his family after receiving a medical assessment,” Colonel Nevhuhulwi said.

Police could not confirm how he got there or where he had come from. At that stage, there was no further information about his disappearance or the people responsible for it, but police investigations are underway.

Herman Mashaba blames foreign nationals for Kubheka’s disappearance

Speaking about Kubheka’s disappearance, Herman Mashaba said that authorities confirmed that foreign nationals were behind it.

The ActionSA leader made the comments after the 27-year-old was reunited with family and admitted to a hospital. Mashaba, who has been actively calling for the case to be prioritised, claimed that authorities identified a potential motive linked to illegal immigration.

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"What I can confirm is that we’ve got illegal, undocumented foreign nationals behind this mess that we’ve gone through these past couple of days," he said.

Despite Mashaba’s claims, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has maintained that investigations into the matter continue. No motive has been confirmed as yet.

Other stories about Kubheka

Briefly News has covered several stories about Kubheka's disappearance, which has garnered national attention. The news has been a particular talking point amid recent demonstrations against the presence of undocumented foreigners in the country.

• Two suspects were taken in for questioning regarding the disappearance of the spaza shop owner, but then released.
• The family of a missing Vosloorus spaza shop owner said they could not eat or sleep as they waited for news about him.
• Gauteng Premier Panyazi Lesufi confirmed information about the alleged suspects believed to be behind the abduction.

Source: Briefly News