The year will end with William Manku, father of popular Skeem Saam actress Amanda Manku, remaining in custody awaiting trial on serious charges. Manku, 53, and his co-accused, David Khoza, 40, face a trial scheduled for 10 to 21 February 2025 in the Polokwane High Court, Limpopo.
The charges against them are grave, encompassing conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, attempted murder, two counts of murder, and defeating the ends of justice.
The charges stem from the tragic deaths of Gladys Manku (45), William’s wife, and Letty Maphothoma (70), his mother-in-law. The two women were fatally shot in May 2021 while returning home after collecting water. This double murder has cast a long shadow over the family, leaving a trail of grief and unanswered questions.
William Manku, a former SAPS officer, has been denied bail on three separate occasions. During his first bail application, the investigating officer (whose name is protected by court order) revealed a confession made by Manku following his arrest. In his statement, Manku admitted to orchestrating the murder of his mother-in-law, Letty Maphothoma, but claimed he did not intend to kill his wife.
“He said that he hired a man who knew other people. They drove with two cars to Limpopo from Gauteng so he could show them where his mother-in-law was staying so they could kill her,” the investigating officer testified.
The officer further stated that the hired assassins returned to Gauteng after the initial trip to Limpopo, only returning to carry out the crime.
Despite pleading for bail to support his children, citing financial hardship, Manku's requests have been denied by the court. This denial underscores the seriousness of the charges and the court’s assessment of the risk of flight or interference with witnesses.
The impact of this tragedy on Amanda Manku is profound. In a recent interview with actress Pasi Koetle, Amanda spoke openly about her grief and anger.
“When you lose your mother, it's something else worse, both mother and grandmother at the same time. I was angry and would shout in my prayers, and I couldn’t listen to gospel music because it didn’t make sense to me,” she shared as she expressed the depth of her sorrow.
Amanda further described the immense loss, stating: “My father was my best friend. He was my pillar of strength, and this is the man who is arrested for the murder of my mum. I had perfect parents, including my father. They had me when they were young, and it was a perfect love story, but Satan doesn’t like beautiful things,” she said.
