Buhlebesizwe — A 23-year-old first reported missing at Buhlebesizwe, Kwaggafontein, was found buried in a backyard garden three streets away from his home.
The deceased, Karabo Kitima, was last allegedly seen with acquittance Sanele Mngomezulu (30). He has since been charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice.
Mngomezulu appeared before the Mkobolo Magistrate’s Court on 09 February 2025, where he abandoned his bail application and will make his second appearance on 12 March 2026.
Mngomezulu became a prime suspect after it emerged that on 01 February he and Kitima had an altercation allegedly about money at his home.
When Kitima did not return home, his family began searching for him the following day and took to social media asking for assistance. By Thursday, 05 February, community members mobilised for a manhunt and opened a missing person case at Kwaggafontein SAPS.
“Someone suspected that he might be buried in the backyard. On Saturday, we went there and searched the place as a community but we couldn’t find anything. That’s when I called Kwaggafontein police to assist us with sniffer dogs,” said Ward 16 Councillor Sunnyboy Dube.
The SAPS K9 Unit picked up a scent and began digging, alerting officers on the scene. Emergency services assisted with digging at the scene, where a body was found at Mngomezulu’s backyard garden.
The deceased’s relative, July Kitima said, “We are so sad that Karabo has left us in such a hurtful manner, it’s now beyond us, what we want is the law to take its course, we just want justice, that’s all.”
The discovery sparked outrage within the community. When Mngomezulu made his first court appearance, residents gathered in large numbers in support of the victim’s family.
However, later on that day an online rumour emerged on social media claiming that there were several more dead bodies found in the backyard, leading the community to torch Mngomezulu’s home.
“People must stop taking the law into their own hands. The house that was burnt is now a crime scene,” said Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane.
Ndubane strongly condemned both the spreading of misinformation and acts of vigilantism. “In social media people say that there are more deceased bodies found, but the truth is that only one deceased body was found. We highly condemn people who are spreading lies about that of which that is a case on its own. People must stop spreading lies, which is false information,” said Ndubane.
