In October 2023, Limpopo Mirror reported on the mysterious disappearance of Ms Hulisani Shaleen Mafeladzulo (25). The woman from Duthuni, outside Thohoyandou, went missing on her way to work on Monday, 25 September 2023. The community and police searched everywhere but in vain.
On Friday, 29 September, some community members went out again and searched the bushes in the Thathe Vondo forest, where they found Hulisani's ID, handbag, a container, and shoes that belonged to her. A badly decomposed body, allegedly burnt with acid to conceal the identity, was found at the scene.
Before she left at 06:00 that fateful morning, the woman, who worked at a retail shop at Thavhani Mall in Thohoyandou, informed her mother, Ms Thivhakoni Mafeladzulo, that she had arranged with a local taxi driver to pick her up for work. Not knowing that she had not reached her workplace, the mother even sent her a WhatsApp message, asking her to bring back some mageu on her way home. That was the last she heard from her, and her disappearance remained a mystery.
But the arrest of Lawrence Madega Nemukula Tshikombani (51) last week has brought hope that the mystery surrounding her disappearance could be unravelled. Madega has been linked to her disappearance and has also been charged with her murder. He appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court on Friday, 15 November.
Madega, who also faces another charge of murder, had his case postponed to 13 January 2025 for further investigations. He chose to enlist the services of a Legal Aid lawyer, who informed the court that her client had decided not to continue with his bail application.
Outside the court, a large crowd of protesters sang struggle songs and called on the court not to grant him bail. A significant contingent of police was also deployed at the court.
Speaking outside the court, community leader Mr Richard Mukhaninga of the Vhembe Concerned Group said they were relieved that, at long last, a man had been arrested and charged with various crimes, including murders in the Nzhelele area and that of the Duthuni woman, Ms Hulisani Mafeladzulo.
"This is a major breakthrough towards solving crimes in this area. We hope this arrest will open a can of worms and that families will finally find closure. As an organisation, we will continue working with the police, as we did in this case," he said.