Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Provincial Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni say investigations into the kidnapping of Vosloorus spaza shop owner Mazwi Kubheka are ongoing, despite the victim being found alive after going missing for nearly a month.
Kubheka, who disappeared on 2 April 2026 after leaving home to pay rent for his spaza shop, presented himself unharmed at a Vosloorus police station on Saturday night.
Briefing the media on Sunday, Lesufi said law enforcement agencies had now identified those behind the crime but emphasised that the case remains active.
“We want to reiterate that this matter is not closed. There are areas that we believe if we follow up on this case, it will assist us to also resolve many other cases that are either similar or of the same nature,” Lesufi said.
He said police had deliberately withheld sensitive information during the investigation to avoid compromising the case or alerting suspects, which led to public perception that little progress had been made.
Lesufi confirmed that those involved in the kidnapping include both South Africans and foreign nationals, with two suspects of Ethiopian origin.
“We can confirm it is a combination of the two — South Africans and foreign nationals — including two suspects of Ethiopian origin,” he said.
Authorities are still investigating whether the incident is linked to spaza shop-related crime or broader criminal activity.
According to Lesufi, the victim was kidnapped while on his way to the bank and was held at a location believed to be a hijacked building.
Mthombeni said the victim indicated he was guarded by two Malawian nationals during his captivity.
“As the investigation proceeds, we will be in a position to confirm whether this is related to the spaza shop,” Mthombeni said.
The commissioner outlined the timeline of the investigation, which began when the case was reported on 3 April as a missing persons inquiry before being escalated to a kidnapping case.
He said police followed multiple leads, including reviewing video footage, analysing bank activity, tracing suspects and deploying crime intelligence resources through a Joint Operational Centre.
Despite these efforts, no breakthrough was made until Saturday evening when Kubheka arrived at the police station.
“Yesterday, around 19:30, the victim presented himself at the Community Service Center, where it is alleged that he was picked up by a motorist near Carnival City in Brakpan who brought him to a nearby police station in Vosloorus,” Mthombeni said.
The commissioner said Kubheka was taken for medical assessment before providing a statement to investigators, which has since led police to follow up on new leads.
Mthombeni added that the victim could not fully account for events during his captivity as he had been blindfolded for most of the time.
The commissioner and Premier extended their gratitude to the community members for assisting with information and mobilisation efforts, saying their cooperation played a key role in the investigation.
Authorities have urged the public to allow police to complete their work, adding that further updates will be provided as investigations continue. – SAnews.gov.za
