Following the failure to crack two cases in which two prominent leaders of the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) were killed, police in Limpopo are now offering a reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the killers.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo has confirmed that they are offering a monetary reward. "It is true that we are offering a combined reward of R500 000 for any valuable information that can lead to the arrest and subsequent conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for the murders of two Samwu members in the Vhembe district during January 2019,” Mojapelo said.

He said they were offering R250 000 for each case. The deceased were murdered during separate incidents. Ronald Mani, aged 50 at the time, was gunned down at Itsani village outside Thohoyandou. He was at local  liquor outlet when unknown assailants shot and killed him at around 8pm on January 30. Tshililo Timson Musetsho was also shot in a similar fashion outside his home in Makwarela, north of Thohoyandou, and later died in hospital. The incident took place on January 4.

Mojapelo said the attacks had prompted the provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba, to establish a high-level task team led by provincial deputy commissioner responsible for crime detection, Major-General Samuel Manala, to investigate the cases.

“Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect(s) is requested to contact Brigadier James Espach on 082-576-0743 or Lieutenant-Colonel Paradise Nkuna on 072-299-2888, including the Crime Stop number 08600-10111. Any information received will be treated with the strictest form of confidentiality,” he said.