WATCH: Is a serial killer on the loose?
DailySun Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni during a roadblock in Soshanguve on Saturday, 1 February 2025, at night.
Mthombeni led Operation Shanela in Soshanguve and Rietgat policing precincts. Video by Aaron Dube pic.twitter.com/mN6iWThxBy— Aaron Dube (@AronDube) February 1, 2025
THERE’S a mystery brewing in Hammanskraal, Tshwane. Could a serial killer be on the prowl?
Police are on high alert as the community reels from a string of brutal murders and attacks.
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni isn’t ruling anything out as he leads Operation Shanela in the buzzing areas of Soshanguve and Rietgat, also in Tshwane.
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“We can’t confirm a serial killer yet, but we’re getting closer with every clue we crack,” said Mthombeni.
On Saturday, 1 February, Mthombeni led a massive night-time operation, and two suspects were nabbed. However, he admits more arrests are in the pipeline. “The investigation is ongoing,” he said.
Mthombens said police are on the hunt for the suspect/s following the tragic tale of Koketso Ramatlo (17). She vanished on 1 January 2025, and heartbreakingly, her burnt body was discovered just metres from her Kekana Gardens home in Hammanskraal on 3 January 2025.
DailySun Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni led Operation Shanela in Soshanguve and Rietgat policing precincts on Saturday, 1 February 2025. Video by Aaron Dube pic.twitter.com/yHzycoqXPP
— Aaron Dube (@AronDube) February 1, 2025
The two suspects, Letlhogonolo Moche (19) and Thapelo Mkhabela (20) had their charges dropped by the Moretele Magistrates Court on 30 January due to a lack of evidence.
The drama doesn’t stop there. In another spine-chilling case, Gontse Mokgohloa (19) was found dead under the Majaneng bridge in Hammanskraal. She was last been seen heading to a local club on 13 October 2024, and the family only found her dead days later.
Murder isn’t the only headache for Gauteng.
“We’ve seen rising cases of robbery, hijackings, and violent assaults,” said Mthombeni.
On 31 January, police raids netted a whopping 833 suspects, including 182 tied to gender-based violence. Their effort also saw 32 undocumented foreigners arrested, with one person bust for hiring an undocumented foreigner.
“We even nabbed 21 drunk drivers. We shut down three rogue liquor outlets. Our mission is clear: keep Gauteng safe.”
