‘Terribly sad’ - media mourns deaths of journalist, partner

The bodies of the two were discovered in a veld in Rust de Winter in Limpopo on Thursday.

The two were positively identified by the African Media and Communicators Forum (AMCF) and the National Press Club, which have been involved in the search for the two since they disappeared.

The couple had been missing since February 18.

"I am terribly sad. We held out hope that despite the number of days that the couple had gone missing, they would still be found alive. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of our brother and sister,” said Elijah Mhlanga, the Chairperson of the African Media and Communicators Forum, in a statement.

"The forensic team is working to conduct tests that will give us scientific confirmation that it's them, even though we are sure that it's them, but, of course, we still need to allow the police to go through the procedure of finding scientific means to verify that it's them. 

"Whatever evidence that has been gathered now is for use in court when the murder charges are put to the accused, up to now, those who appeared in court, they were appearing just for kidnapping and house robbery, but now it's clear that a double murder case is also going to be part of the court proceedings. 

"We hope that tomorrow (Friday), when we go back to the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's court, the investigating team together with the prosecution team will add the murder charges."

Meanwhile, Acting Chairperson of the NPC Antoinette Slabbert has expressed confidence that all those involved in the deaths of the couple will be brought to book.

"We are confident in the work of the authorities, that they will use all the available resources to bring to book everyone who was involved in the killing of our colleague and his partner."

Mhlanga adds that police made the gruesome discovery following hours of questioning the suspects.

"They (suspects) led the police to the right place where they dumped them, and of course, because it's been so long, they are decomposed.

"It's really bad because you can hardly identify them, but because we know them and the police know what they were looking for, they were able to establish that these are the people that were victims of that kidnapping, and of course, you can see now that there was a subsequent murder."

He said that the families are devastated following the discovery.

"The family is saddened, it's a very difficult situation, the mother is inconsolable. She has been trying to be strong, but she has been breaking down. Today (Thursday), when the police informed her, she just lost it. 

"I mean, what do you do, even though you might have been suspecting? We tried to comfort her and to give her hope every time, but when it finally gets confirmed, you're still saddened, you're still shocked and, of course, in disbelief, because this is not what you wish for your son, your brother, your sibling, your sister's partner is not what you want to see. 

"Both of them have sadly passed away, but the police are still working, questioning the suspect so they can tell us exactly what happened."

Currently, five suspects are in police custody for the couple's disappearance.

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