South Africa police arrest man who allegedly shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend in front of commuters

Police have arrested a 33-year-old man who is believed to have shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend in the Mbombela CBD in Mpumalanga, South Africa.  

The suspect was arrested in Lows Creek on Thursday night, September 7, 2023, following an investigation by the Nelspruit SAPS detectives and Mpumalanga Provincial Task Team.

The suspect allegedly shot and killed the 36-year-old woman identified as Nontobeko, in Samora Machel Drive, near Buscors bus terminals on Wednesday morning.  

According to some eyewitnesses, the woman was shot after she had gotten out of a taxi.  They claimed the suspect drew his firearm and shot her in the right leg. She fell down, and the man allegedly shot her in the head twice before driving off in Valencias direction. 

The witnesses phoned the police and the paramedics. Emer-G-Med responded and declared the woman dead on the scene.  A provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Friday, said the police had also recovered a pistol and ammunition from the suspect which will form part of the investigation.  

Mdhluli said the suspect was traced after the bakkie was recovered at Mara near KaNyamazane at about 12:00 on the day of the murder. On that dreadful morning (Wednesday, 06 September 2023 around 05h20 am), it is alleged that the suspect, driving in a white Isuzu bakkie shot and killed a 36-year-old woman who is believed to have been pregnant at the time, Mduhluli stated. 

The incident which occurred in Mbombela CBD is suspected to be Domestic Violence related. After the incident the suspect fled the scene and possibly went into hiding meanwhile the Police as well as the Paramedics were summoned to the scene but unfortunately, the woman was certified dead, A murder case was opened at Nelspruit SAPS for investigation with the desire to soon arrest the suspect.  

A team of investigators was then assembled, under the leadership of the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela who vowed that “the Police will hunt down for the suspect and ensure that he is soon brought to book”.  Indeed the General did not mince her words as the man was cornered only a day after the incident.  It first began when the bakkie in question was recovered at Mara near Kanyamazane outside Nelspruit on the day of the incident around 12h00 midday.  

Though the suspect could not be located by then, but fortunately he was arrested in the evening of Thursday at his hideout in Low’s Creek. The suspect will appear in the Nelspruit Magistrates court on Monday, September 11.