Families of the five women allegedly murdered by a notorious Polokwane serial killer will finally get a chance to bury their loved ones after their identities were confirmed.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo told Sunday World that five of the seven bodies could not be buried due to outstanding DNA test results. Only two bodies could be positively identified and were consequently handed over to the families for burial.
“The identities of the remaining five women who were allegedly murdered by what has become known as a notorious Polokwane serial killer were finally confirmed on 15 February 2022 through DNA test results,” Mojapelo said.
Police investigations established that the accused, Prince Dube, 34, was linked to the murders of seven women who were kidnapped or reported missing in Seshego, Mankweng and Polokwane since August 2021. Dube faces charges of murder, rape, kidnapping, robbery and defeating the ends of justice.
Dube, who is in police custody, is expected to appear at the Seshego magistrate’s court on February 28. The accused was initially arrested for possession of a suspected stolen cellphone that was later linked to a woman who was allegedly kidnapped in Lebowakgomo last year.
When the initial investigations pointed to the possible involvement of a serial killer whose modus operandi was to lure women and promise them employment, the Limpopo police provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, ordered that a team of investigators, led by a senior officer, be established to probe the disappearance of women in the Capricorn district.
The investigations soon led to the discoveries of seven bodies dumped at different locations in Seshego, Polokwane, Mankweng and Westenburg.
Mojapelo said the five victims who were identified through DNA investigations are:
- Sarah Moitswadi Mothiba, 42, who was allegedly kidnapped at Lebowakgomo and was reported missing in October 2021.
- Lesotho national Moleboheng Mothibeli, 34, who was reported missing in Polokwane in October 2021.
- Khomotso Makhura, 41, who was reported missing at Seshego in October 2021.
- Mpho Sinyatsi, 34, who was reported missing from Luthuli Park under Seshego policing area in October 2021.
- Chisimango Gumbo, 48, a Zimbabwean who was reported missing at Seshego in August 2021.
Mojapelo said the remains of the victims were released to their families following the receipt of DNA results that conclusively identified them.
Sinyatsi’s sister Tshego Manaka said: “We are happy that we finally got closure. Our family will now bury my sister. We also thank the police for their work. We also demand justice that the person who killed my sister be punished for his crimes.”
Kenneth Makhura, the uncle of Khomotso, earlier told the media that seeing Dube appearing in court for the first time reminded him of the day he identified the body of his niece.
The chairperson of Seshego Community Against Drugs and Gangsterism, Vincent Kunutu, who also assisted the police to find some of the victims, said: “We welcome the good news that the victims’ families will bury their loved ones who were brutally killed by the serial killer.
“We will continue to work with the police to root out crime in our communities. We hope to see justice for the victims and their families.”
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