A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the double murder at Inxiweni Primary School in Thembisa, east of Johannesburg, on Tuesday afternoon.
Police have confirmed that a 35-year-old man was taken into custody in the early hours of Friday morning and is due at the Thembisa Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The suspect faces two counts of murder.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the arrest marks another step forward in the ongoing investigation.
“Our members tirelessly worked through the night to apprehend this suspect,” Nevhuhulwi said. “We remain committed to uncovering the full circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.”
The latest arrest follows the apprehension of a 26-year-old woman on Wednesday evening.
The woman, who is an employee at the school, was taken into custody for her alleged involvement in the killings of the school’s principal and an administration clerk.
She is expected to appear in the Thembisa Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder.
Motive for the murders unknown
Police said when they responded to a complaint of a shooting at the school, they found the bodies of two women lying on the ground with gunshot wounds.
They were later identified as 58-year-old Nozibele Tabu (the principal) and 55-year-old Nobantu Njomboni (the school’s admin clerk).
Nevhuhulwi stated that the motive for the shooting remains unclear. “The circumstances surrounding the attack are still under investigation. We urge anyone with information to come forward to assist us,” she said.
Gauteng education MEC, Matome Chiloane, condemned the attack.
“We are horrified by this senseless and brutal act committed within a school, a place meant to be a sanctuary for teaching and learning,” Chiloane said on Tuesday afternoon.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the principal and the staff member who tragically lost their lives. We urge law enforcement authorities to move with speed to bring the perpetrator to justice.”
READ MORE :Â Police probe brutal murders of principal, administrator at Inxiweni Primary School
