Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni – The brutal murder of Thapelo Moeng has left his family devastated and a community reeling. The 27 December killing, allegedly at the hands of three friends, involved a prolonged and horrific attack, followed by a desperate attempt to dispose of the body. The suspects, who are yet to appear in court, face a murder charge.
Thapelo’s death was far from instantaneous. His alleged killers reportedly drugged and strangled him, but he fought back and refused to die. They then allegedly stabbed him repeatedly with knives and hacked him with a panga. Only when they were certain he was dead did they attempt to dispose of his body.
The alleged killers, who had spent Friday night attempting to conceal the crime, wrapped Thapelo’s body in a carpet. Their efforts to hide the body in a wheelie bin failed due to its size. The gruesome attempt to dispose of the body continued into the early hours of Saturday, 28 December.
It was Thapelo’s fight for survival, and the subsequent actions of his killers, that ultimately led to their arrest. One of the alleged killers was apprehended in the early hours of Saturday morning in Mandela, Etwatwa, by his landlord. The landlord, upon discovering the body, immediately contacted local community security and the police. This swift action resulted in the arrest of the three alleged killers by Etwatwa police.
The murder allegedly took place in the rented room of one of the suspects in Etwatwa. The landlord, recounting the horrific discovery, stated: "I feel bad that I gave a place to a dangerous man and I was not aware. We found blood splattered on the walls and on the floors. We saw a panga and knives." Remarkably, the landlord reported hearing no screams during the attack.
Thapelo’s family is grappling with the trauma of his violent death. His sister, Bontle, described the horrific scene: "My younger brother died like a dog and the killers planned to dispose his body in the bush where it would be assumed he was killed there." She further revealed that Thapelo’s belongings were stolen before the murder: "It shows Thapelo fought to expose his killers. We're told that before they killed him, they took cash from his pockets and his cellphones."
Another sister, Phindile, expressed the family’s unwavering desire for justice: "There was never a sign that I would not see him again. We want justice to prevail and the people who killed him must pay for their sins."
Captain Nelda Sekgobela, spokeswoman for Ekurhuleni district police, confirmed that a murder case has been opened and the suspects are in custody. The details surrounding the case remain under investigation, but the brutal nature of the crime and the subsequent attempt to dispose of the body paint a grim picture of the events that led to Thapelo Moeng’s untimely and violent death.
