The murder of acclaimed South African actor David Manuel, known for his role as Freddy Gums in the film Noem My Skollie, has taken a shocking turn with the arrest of two family members. Manuel, along with his friend Alfonso Fisher, was shot and killed outside his home in Gugulethu, Cape Town, on Tuesday, 8 October 2024. The arrests, made on Tuesday, 12 November 2024, have sent ripples through the community.
Police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the arrests of a male and a female, both aged between 30 and 40. He detailed the investigation that led to their apprehension.
"Following the death of the Noem My Skollie actor, David Manuel, and his friend Alfonso Fisher on 8 October 2024 in NY141, Gugulethu, where they were shot and fatally wounded, Provincial Serious and Violent Crime detectives started an intense investigation into the circumstances of the murders. The investigation revealed that life insurance policies were taken out by family members, which was identified as a possible motive. On Tuesday, 12 November 2024, the two suspects, a male and a female between 30 and 40, were arrested in connection with the murders," said Twigg.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrates Court on Thursday, 14 November 2024, facing charges of murder and fraud. This revelation has stunned residents of Gugulethu, particularly those living near the scene of the crime in NY 141.
A resident close to the situation shed light on the events leading up to the arrests: "They were recently complaining about how the bank was not releasing their money and that they've been going to the bank almost every day to demand the money. It appears the bank was delayed because they had seen some red flags. We were shocked by the arrest of the two family members; we didn’t expect this," the resident explained.
The implication is that the suspects attempted to claim on life insurance policies taken out on Manuel, but the bank's intervention suggests irregularities were detected, potentially triggering the investigation.
Sergeant Twigg confirmed that the possibility of further arrests remains open.
"The possibility of more arrests is not excluded," he added, hinting at the ongoing nature of the investigation and the potential for further revelations.
