The Hawks and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) are investigating a mysterious string of deaths across two provinces after the widow of a taxi owner slain in police custody was gunned down – as was a suspect in her husband’s killing.
Simphiwe Maqungo, 38, was killed execution style in his Ngangelizwe police cell in August. His family have been living in fear since his widow was gunned down in Cape Town a month later – and now a suspect arrested for his killing has also been shot dead.
Maqungo – an emerging farmer who also owned and ran a fleet of taxis in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape – was shot dead on August 14 by balaclava-clad men who stormed the police station and pumped 18 bullets into his body, leaving his four cellmates untouched.
The family caused a stir when they accused police of having a hand in his death. The SAPS national head office, in response, said this accusation formed part of the entire investigation around the murder of Maqungo.
Maqungo's widow Nosiyolise – who had been vocal in her determination to find her husband’s killers – was shot dead on September 12 in Cape Town. She was buried on September 29 next to her husband at his Lahlangubo village home in Ngcobo.
At his funeral, his widow had lashed out at police, saying they had robbed her of a husband and father of their three young children. She vowed not to rest until all those involved in her husband’s murder were jailed.
Maqungo's brother, Siyabulela Maqungo, said the family was living in a state of terror.
''We do not know who will be the next victim. We just live in fear. We constantly change routes and our movements in time. This is bad. Three people have now died – first Simphiwe, then Siyolise and now a man who was arrested in connection with the killing of my brother. We do not know who will be the next target,'' he said.
Siyabulela said that some time after the murder of his brother he noticed he was being followed by a suspicious vehicle with four men in it.
He drove quickly to a safe place and stopped driving.
''I don't doubt that they were following me. We fear for our lives. One has to change normal routines, change cars and change hangouts. This is no way to live,” said Siyabulela.
Maqungo was arrested on July 29, allegedly in possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. He was due in the Ngcobo magistrate’s court for a bail hearing on the day he was shot. Two men – Phakamisa Nkopo, 32, and Simphiwe Msenge, 37 - rumoured to be hired assassins within the taxi industry were arrested two days later for his murder, as well as for possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
Despite the state and investigating officers opposing bail in fear for their lives, the Mthatha magistrate’s court released them on R2,000 bail on September 12 – the day of Siyolise’s slaying hundreds of kilometres away.
The case was postponed on November 9. However, on October 5 Msenge, a former taxi owner, was gunned down as he left Bhityi police station near Mthatha after signing the registers in obedience to his bail conditions.
Ipid national spokesperson Moses Dlamini confirmed the case was with them.
“Our investigators also attended the crime scene and took over the investigation of the death in police custody. The DPCI (Hawks) are also investigating the case.
“The two people who were arrested in connection with the case are not SAPS members. Ipid, however, is investigating whether there was any role by SAPS members in the death in police custody. We have no mandate to investigate civilians,” said Dlamini.
Hawks provincial spokesperson Captain Anelisa Feni said the case of the Ngangelizwe killing was in fact being investigated by a SAPS organised crime unit.
Mthatha police spokesperson Captain Dineo Koena confirmed the killing of Msenge and said there were no arrests.
National police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili said a multidisciplinary team was investigating Maqungo’s murder together with allegations that police had not done enough to protect him. Muridili had no further details by print deadline, but said she would liaise with the two provincial police structures concerned.
Maqungo‚ who owned a fleet of nine taxis in Cape Town‚ had “survived no fewer than seven attempts on his life in the Western Cape since 2015”, his late widow had said. Siyabulela said they were now taking the matter to police minister Bheki Cele, national commissioner General Khehla Sithole, provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga and safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana...