Early on Friday morning, police in Durban shot and killed one of the three individuals connected to Olorato Mongale's murder. Fezile Ngubane, who was first named as a suspect, has been exonerated, according to a statement released by the police on Saturday, May 31.
More information has emerged from police reports following an early morning shootout in a residential complex in Amanzimtoti, where the main suspect in the murder of Olorato Mongale was fatally shot by police.
Authorities identified the deceased suspect as Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya. The shootout occurred just hours after police launched a manhunt and named three individuals as suspects in the murder of the 30-year-old University of Witwatersrand Master’s student, who went missing on Sunday, 25 May 2025. Her body was later discovered dumped in Lombardy, north of Johannesburg.
On Thursday morning, police named Makhanya and Fezile Ngubane as suspects in Mongale’s murder. However, in a statement released on Saturday, 31 May, the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that Ngubane had since been cleared of any involvement.
According to police, Ngubane’s father brought him to the KwaMashu police station on Friday after learning that his son had been named in connection with Mongale’s murder. A multidisciplinary team — including the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection in Gauteng, Major General Mbuso Khumalo, the SAPS National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team, and provincial investigators from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal — conducted a thorough interview and initial investigation, ultimately determining that Ngubane had no involvement in the crimes.
Ngubane, who washes cars for a living, resides in the same neighborhood as the late Makhanya. Investigators believe Makhanya exploited Ngubane by using his identity documents to register SIM cards, which he then used to carry out a string of kidnappings and robberies targeting young women. It is also alleged that Makhanya used Ngubane’s bank card to make purchases at several clothing retailers.
Ngubane’s smart ID card was among 27 found in Makhanya’s possession at the time of his death.
Additionally, police have released the parents of one of the two original suspects after taking their statements.
Authorities say they are now dealing with at least 20 cases in which women have come forward identifying Makhanya and his accomplices as the perpetrators of kidnappings and robberies. These incidents reportedly took place in multiple locations, including Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein, Midrand, Ogies, Nelspruit (Mpumalanga), Pretoria, and Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, the search continues for the third suspect, Bongani Mthimkhulu. Police are once again urging Mthimkhulu to surrender at his nearest police station.