The son of slain former Popcru general secretary Nkosinathi Theledi has broken his silence to call on the newly appointed Madlanga Commission to invite him to give evidence on how Mpumalanga police failed his family, one year after two of his father’s suspected killers were identified – yet no one was arrested.
Tshepo Theledi accused state institutions of turning a blind eye to what he believes was a politically motivated killing. His father’s lifeless body was discovered inside his vehicle near Delmas on July 31, last year, hours after he was reported missing.
“My father was murdered and dumped like a nobody. His car was found in Sundra. We’re told three suspects were known to the investigators, and two were identified by name, yet we’re still told it’s ‘under investigation’ twelve months later,” he said.
The 61-year-old unionist had left his Gauteng home en route to Standerton in Mpumalanga when he disappeared. A family-led search using tracking device data led to a grim discovery: his body slumped inside a cleaned-out vehicle. His phones, wristwatch and shoes were missing.
Investigators later revealed signs of physical trauma on the body, including bruises and bleeding, suggesting an assault before his death. But what chilled the family most was the state of his vehicle. “Police confirmed that his car had been cleaned to remove fingerprints and DNA. Who does that unless they’re trying to cover their tracks?” Tshepo asked.
In the days following the murder, the acting provincial commissioner, Maj-Gen Zeph Mkhwanazi, vowed the matter would be treated as top priority.
“We strongly condemn this incident and are committed to leaving no stone unturned in our pursuit of justice,” Mkhwanazi said on August 6, last year, shortly after assembling a team of detectives.
But according to Tshepo, the family has seen no evidence of that commitment.
“The investigating officer kept reporting directly to the acting provincial commissioner. We were told the docket had been handed to the prosecutor at the Delmas Magistrate’s Court. That was the last meaningful update we received,” he said.
The young man believes the case has been deliberately buried under bureaucratic inertia, or worse, corruption. “We suspect people were bought. There’s no other explanation. If the police really wanted to arrest those suspects, they would’ve done so by now. Instead, there’s silence.”
Tshepo has now turned to a new avenue for justice: the Madlanga Commission.
Headed by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, the judicial commission of inquiry is tasked with investigating the alleged infiltration of organised crime into the state’s security cluster, especially SAPS, the NPA and the State Security Agency.
“We welcome the establishment of the Madlanga Commission. It gives us hope that someone is willing to look deeper. But here’s the thing: nobody knows where their offices are or how to approach them. How are ordinary citizens supposed to give evidence?” he asked.
“That’s why I’m speaking through the media. Maybe if I speak here, they will hear me.”
For Tshepo, the matter goes beyond closure; it is about restoring dignity to his father’s legacy.
“My father wasn’t just an ordinary man. He was a leader, a voice in the struggle for workers’ rights. You don’t just silence that voice and act like nothing happened,” he said. “Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has revived our hope that this matter should not die with our father. Maybe he knew too much because he worked for a police union. We must know why he was killed. Justice must speak louder.”
Media questions were sent to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Donald Mdhluli and Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo to establish whether any progress has been made and whether the concerns of the Theledi family were shared or acknowledged. However, no comment had been received from either by the time of publication.
