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One of the men suspected of kidnapping and killing Andile “Bobo” Mbuthu, 16, is the teen’s older cousin, City Press confirmed.
The South African Police Service will charge seven suspects for the abduction and murder of Mbuthu on Monday.
Six suspects were arrested on Friday and the seventh on Saturday.
“A seventh suspect was arrested by detectives. They will be charged with kidnapping and murder and are expected to appear in Verulam magistrates court tomorrow, “KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Brigadier Jay Naicker said on Sunday.
The boy’s remains are believed to have been found Friday in a bag loaded with bricks and dumped into the Wewe River on the outskirts of Tongaat.
The crime is alleged to have taken place in the well-known Magagula Lounge in Hambanathi.
We will talk as a family. At the moment we are all very depressed about what has happened. Still a shock
Andile’s aunt, Zodwa Jali
On Friday night, a candlelight protest took place outside the tavern, but it eventually became illegal with the facilities on fire.
The Law Enforcement Surveillance Unit was called to respond, while responding fire trucks were stoned before the crowd of about 500 dispersed.
Andile’s aunt, Zodwa Jali, told City Press that the family would need to sit down and discuss who would attend the court hearing.
“We will talk as a family. At the moment we are all very depressed about what has happened. It’s still a shock, “said the jail.
She said the family was unable to make any funeral arrangements until DNA tests on the body were completed, and police had released the body.
Jali confirmed that a suspect, who runs a taxi business and is known to City Press, is related to Mbuthu, adding that he was “much older than Andile.”
“[The suspect’s] mother and family were here yesterday [at the Mbuthu family home]. I couldn’t speak to her, but they were here, “Jali said.
The 12th grade student at Nkosibomvu High School in Hambanathi had been missing for approximately two weeks.
Ward councilor Zanele Khumalo said the community wanted to attend court proceedings even though the country was in a four-stage shutdown to administer the Covid-19 coronavirus.
The man is seen filming the video kicking the teenager and pricking him with a stick. A male voice can be heard telling Mbuthu on isiZulu to get up and clean up his mess. He also swears to the boy
“I heard that you are not concerned with the limit of people within the court. They have said they will wear masks, ”said Khumalo.
Mbuthu caught the country’s attention after a video appeared on social media of him lying on a tile floor, covered in blood and looking semi-conscious.
In the video, the boy appears to have massive bruises on his face and lips, with a broken jaw.
The man is seen filming the video kicking the teenager and pricking him with a stick. A male voice can be heard telling Mbuthu on isiZulu to get up and clean up his mess. He also swears to the boy.
Mbuthu, weak and unable to speak, mutters an answer, pushes his back against the wall, and then collapses onto his stomach on the floor.
According to Naicker, before the body was found on Friday morning, the office of the provincial police commissioner received a complaint from the family that the investigation into the disappearance was not proceeding rapidly.
The provincial commissioner instructed the deputy provincial commissioner for detective services to take over the investigation.
City Press understands that there has been an allegation by the Hambanathi community that the Tongaat Police Station was protecting the suspects due to its connections to the taxi industry.
A source close to the investigation told City Press it appeared that the boy’s body had been burned before being thrown.
