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Wednesday, 11 February 2026
Murders have police working around the clock
Fear for women’s lives TEBOHO SETENA
Full-scale investigations by the Bloemfontein police into the murder of three women have resulted in the arrest of five undocumented foreign male suspects and the discovery of an illegal firearm. The police investigation revealed all three victims were killed execution-style in separate incidents. They had bullet wounds to their bodies and the motive for the ruthless murders is part of ongoing police investigations. The police have opened murder cases for further investigation. The women’s brutal killings have the community reeling with shock, as the scourge of violence against women seems to intensify. The body of the first victim, in her 30s, was found on the side of Meadows Road in Springfield on Saturday 7 February. Lt Col. Thabo Covane, spokesperson for the police in Bloemfontein, said the victim was found lying on her back with three gunshot wounds: on her temple, behind the right ear, and on the chest. The victim was wearing blue jeans, a yellow striped short-sleeved T-shirt, and white Fila sneakers. Covane said a patrolling security officer reportedly discovered the body of the victim on the side of Meadows Road. The bodies of the other two victims were found in the Namibia Square area in the early hours of Sunday; around 01:50. One of the victims was wearing light blue jeans and a green hoodie, while the other was wearing a blue denim top with black denim jeans. Sgt. Mahlomola Kareli, provincial
spokesperson for the police, said both victims, roughly in their 20s, had gunshot wounds to the back of their heads. He said the investigations entailed piecing together the evidence to link an unlicensed firearm to three separate incidents that occurred within 24 hours. Kareli said a 9mm pistol with six rounds of live ammunition was later found in a Toyota Quantum in which five suspects were travelling. He said members of the provincial Tracking and Tracing Team and the Parkweg Tactical Response Team (TRT) had reacted to intelligence-driven information. “The recovered firearm is to be sent for ballistic testing, and as soon as we receive the report it will be made public if it is the same one used for both incidents,” said Kareli, adding that the vehicle was also part of the investigation. He said thus far one victim had been identified. The investigations involve the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) experts. In he wake of the shockwave caused by these killings, police discovering the body of a 27-year-old woman buried in a shallow grave on a farm homestead in the Kloofeind area, outside Bloemfontein. The decomposed remains were exhumed on Monday 9 February. “The shallow grave was pointed out by the 34-year-old suspect, a farm worker. He had reported that the victim had been missing since 17 January. A missing person file was opened and registered on 30 January,” said Covane. He said a case docket of murder and defeating the ends of justice was opened at the Parkweg Police Station. “The suspect gave police a false
The five suspects arrested in connection with the murder of two women in Bloemfontein.
statement at the Parkweg Police Station, claiming that the deceased had left the farm and visited her aunt in Pieter Swarts, Bloemspruit,” said Covane. ■ The police are appealing for public assistance in tracing the perpetrators regarding the murders of aforementioned three murder victims. Anyone with helpful information is requested to contact the investigative officer, Lt Col. Rankhala David Ramasoala, on 082 527 7390 and Sgt. Morena Machalotsa of the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime (Murder and Robbery unit) on 073 729 1732. Alternatively, information can be submitted via the My SAPS app or by dialling the SAPS Crime Stop number, 08600 10111.
A team of police crime scene experts exhume a body from a shallow grave on a farm homestead in the Kloofeind area. PHOTOS: Supplied
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