In a dramatic turn of events, KwaZulu-Natal police fatally shot the main suspect in the brutal murder of Olorato Mongale, a 30-year-old Wits University postgraduate student.
The suspect was shot dead in the early hours of Friday morning, according to reports.
The suspect was cornered in a flat at a residential complex in Amanzimtoti, where he opened fire on officers, prompting a deadly response.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was at the scene as authorities sealed off the area. The hunt continues for two more suspects.
Mongale, a vibrant journalism graduate pursuing a master’s degree, was found dead on Sunday in Lombardy West, Johannesburg, just a day after going out on a date with a man she met at a Bloemfontein mall.
Cloned registration plate
She was picked up from her Athol home in a white Volkswagen Polo with a cloned registration plate (LT 57 JG GP), which was later traced to a Toyota Hilux.
The vehicle, seized on Wednesday at a Phoenix workshop, contained blood traces linking it to the crime.
On Thursday night, police arrested two individuals, believed to be the suspect’s parents, for helping him to evade capture. The suspect’s father owns the VW Polo used in the murder.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the shootout, urging the remaining suspects to surrender.
“The investigation is at a critical stage,” Mathe said, noting that a syndicate targeting women at malls may be involved.
“When police announced their arrival, he shot at the police, and they returned fire, fatally wounding him.
“We are still searching for his accomplices, and we are urging them to hand themselves over at the nearest police station.”
Stop sharing graphic images of Mongale
Mongale’s murder has sparked nationwide outrage, reigniting calls to combat gender-based violence.
Known for her infectious laughter and ambition, she was mourned at a Wits University candlelight ceremony on Thursday.
Her family pleaded with the public not to share graphic images of her brutalised body, emphasising her dignity.
Police are continuing with the search for other suspects, determined to bring all of them to book.
Mongale’s tragic death points out the urgent need for systemic change to protect women in South Africa.
