MALAMULELE, Limpopo – Authorities in the Limpopo province of South Africa have launched an intensive search for a 34-year-old Zimbabwean man, Ngonidzashe Sibanda, following the gruesome discovery of his wife’s body in a rented room in Xitlhelani village. The victim, a 42-year-old Zimbabwean national who worked as a pre-school teacher at a local private school, was found dead on Tuesday morning in what appears to be a cold-blooded act of domestic violence.
The discovery was made at approximately 6 am when the owner of the property, where the couple had recently taken up residence, alerted the police to a grim scene. Officers arrived to find the woman lying motionless on blankets, her life extinguished in a violent manner. The scene was described as particularly harrowing, with the victim having sustained a fatal stab wound to her upper body.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, provided a chilling account of the scene encountered by the first responders. “The woman was discovered at about 6 am, lying on blankets in a pool of blood inside a rented back room,” Colonel Ledwaba said. Emergency medical services were immediately summoned to the village, but there was nothing they could do for the teacher. She was certified dead at the scene, and her body was subsequently removed for further forensic examination.
Preliminary investigations by the South African Police Service (SAPS) have revealed that the couple had only moved into the rented back room a few days before the tragedy occurred. The victim was well-known in the Malamulele area for her role as an educator, shaping the minds of young children at a private pre-school. However, her promising life was cut short in the very place that was supposed to be her new home.
As the investigation continues, the victim’s identity is being withheld by the authorities pending further procedures and the notification of all relevant family members. Meanwhile, the primary person of interest, Ngonidzashe Sibanda, has vanished. Police confirmed that he could not be located at the scene or anywhere in the vicinity following the discovery of his wife’s body.
The SAPS is now making a public appeal for Sibanda to come forward. Investigators believe that as the husband of the deceased, he possesses information that is crucial to the ongoing murder investigation. “Police are urging Ngonidzashe Sibanda to present himself at the nearest police station,” the authorities stated, noting that his current whereabouts remain a mystery.
This incident has brought the issue of violence against women back into the spotlight in the region. Detective Sergeant Silence Mabasa has been assigned to lead the investigation into the murder. Members of the public who may have seen Sibanda or have any information regarding his location are encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Mabasa on 082 319 9724. Alternatively, tips can be shared through the Crime Stop hotline on 08600 10111 or via the nearest police station.
In a separate but equally concerning development within the same province, the Burgersfort Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit is also seeking the public’s help to track down another fugitive. Bonginkosi Kgopotso Mazibuko is wanted in connection with two separate rape cases that have left the community on edge. These incidents, which occurred in October 2022 and November 2024, involved two young girls aged 17 and 12.
According to Colonel Ledwaba, the first incident took place on 24 October 2022. A 17-year-old girl was walking to school when she was intercepted by a suspect driving a silver Volkswagen Polo. The man allegedly pointed a firearm at the teenager, forcing her into the vehicle before driving her to a secluded bushy area in Ga-Mathipa village. Once there, he reportedly forced her to undress, took photographs of her, and raped her inside the car. The traumatised girl was later dropped off on a main road, where a passing motorist assisted her in reaching her grandmother, who then reported the matter to the police.
The second incident followed a similar pattern on 18 November 2024. A 12-year-old girl, also on her way to school, was targeted by a man in a silver Volkswagen Polo. Using a firearm to threaten the child, the suspect drove her to bushes near a local mine where she was raped. She was later abandoned near her school premises.
Police have since used forensic DNA analysis to positively link the suspect to both of these horrific crimes. The manhunt for Mazibuko is currently focused on the Mkhuhlu area under the Calcutta policing area in Mpumalanga, where he is believed to be hiding. Sergeant Letsatsi Mojalefa is the investigating officer for these cases and can be reached on 076 140 5379.
The authorities have reiterated that they will leave no stone unturned in their quest for justice for the victims of these brutal crimes. Whether it is the hunt for Ngonidzashe Sibanda in Malamulele or the search for Bonginkosi Mazibuko in Mpumalanga, the police are calling for maximum cooperation from the public to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.
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