One of two men arrested in connection with KZN south coast killings is found dead

Police minister Bheki Cele addressed a crowd in Mtwalume on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast on Saturday, telling them two men were due in court in connection with the deaths of five women.
Police minister Bheki Cele addressed a crowd in Mtwalume on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast on Saturday, telling them two men were due in court in connection with the deaths of five women.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

One of the men arrested in relation to the killings of women in Mtwalume, KwaZulu-Natal has committed suicide.

A police source confirmed this to SowetanLive on Monday morning.

“Yes he committed suicide yesterday but we cannot comment on the matter,” the source said.

Police minister Bheki Cele is expected to meet with officers this morning to get a briefing on how the investigations are going on the murders that have shocked the country.

The man who committed suicide together another were arrested last week after a fifth body of an unidentified woman in her 20s was discovered on a sugar cane farm in Mtwalume.

The body of Zama Chiliza, who disappeared on July 6, was found on Tuesday by women gathering wood.

Their neighbours Akhona Gumede and Nosipho Gumede and that of Nelisiwe Dube were found in sugar cane fields in April and July respectively.

These discoveries have led to communities suspecting that there is a serial killer operating in Mtwalume, something police said could not be ruled out.

On Saturday Cele said the investigators believe the two men were arrested were “the right people”.

A statement released by the KwaZulu-Natal department of social development said the men, aged 35 and 40, were allegedly found in possession of SIM cards and cellphones belonging to the women.