Mossel Bay Killing: Police Say Nhlamulo Sambo Was Allegedly Caught Stealing Before Fatal Stabbing

• The Western Cape police have clarified the circumstances surrounding the death of 19-year-old Nhlamulo Sambo in Mossel Bay on Sunday
• Police said Sambo was fatally stabbed after he was allegedly caught stealing from a shack, where the owner attacked him
• This follows earlier claims by his family that his killing was motivated by xenophobia, a version that sparked widespread debate and social media discussion

WESTERN CAPE - Police have provided clarity on the circumstances surrounding the death of 19-year-old Nhlamulo Sambo, whose killing has sparked widespread social media debate and conflicting accounts about what transpired during recent unrest in Mossel Bay.

Western Cape Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile said preliminary investigations indicate that Sambo was allegedly involved in a shack burglary at the time of the incident.

The police's investigations are in stark contrast to reports from the family that insist that Nhlamulo Sambo's murder was motivated by xenophobia

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Police say Sambo was killed for stealing

According to Lieutenant General Patekile, police received information from a 15-year-old accomplice who was with Sambo when the pair allegedly broke into a shack with the intention of stealing

“They were there to take some goods,” Patekile said.

The police further divulged that the shack owner later returned and found the two inside. A confrontation allegedly followed, during which the 15-year-old accomplice hid under a bed while the owner chased Sambo outside. Sambo was then fatally stabbed as he attempted to flee.

Police say they are still searching for the shack owner to face a murder charge.

The police version of events stands in stark contrast to claims made by Sambo’s family, who believe he was killed during unrest allegedly linked to anti-foreigner sentiment in the area.

See a video of the police speaking here:

Mother says her son was targeted for speaking Xisonga

In a video circulating online, Sambo’s mother, Nkateko Sambo, said her son was attacked after being mistaken for a foreign national.

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Mossel Bay teen’s killing sparks xenophobia debate as police version casts doubt on motive

“They killed my son like a dog, saying that he's a foreigner whereas my child is a Tsonga, a South African citizen from Limpopo in Giyani,” she said.

The mother also appealed for financial assistance to help transport her son’s body back to Limpopo, where he is expected to be buried.

His sister, Nonhlanhla Sambo, echoed similar claims in a Facebook post, alleging that her brother was forcibly removed from a house where he had been sleeping with a friend before being attacked.

"We are deeply hurt as a family about this inhumane act; justice must be served. We will not be silent,” she wrote.

5 Mozambicans killed in Mossel Bay violence

In related news, at least five Mozambican nationals have been killed in suspected xenophobic attacks in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape on Friday, 29 May 2026. This is according to the Mozambican government, which says around 800 of its citizens were caught up in weekend violence linked to protests against illegal migrants. Hundreds have been displaced as they had to flee their homes, with many choosing to return to their home country.

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Makhadzi uses 19-year-old Nhlamulo Sambo's death in Mossel Bay to make her point

Mossel Bay displaced migrants speak out

Briefly News also reported that migrants displaced by the recent violence in Mossel Bay say they have lost everything after unrest linked to allegations of illegal immigration left homes destroyed and families fleeing for safety. One of those displaced, Silvino Chauque, said that both documented and undocumented migrants had been targeted, without a care whether someone has documentation or a South African ID.

Source: Briefly News