Olorato Mongale murder: Police progress and family reflections ahead of funeral
Olorato Mongale was murdered on Sunday May 25. Her body was dumped in Lombardy West, Johannesburg
Image: Social Media
As the family of murdered Wits postgraduate student Olorato Mongale prepares for her funeral on Sunday in Bloemfontein, her aunt Kealogetswe Mongale says the family is happy with the progress made by police during the course of the week, with one of three suspects still at large.
Mongale, 30, went missing last Sunday after she was picked up at her residence in a VW Polo for what she believed was a date.
Her body was found dumped along a road in Lombardy West in Johannesburg two hours later.
The main suspect, Philangenkosi Makhanya, was shot dead by police at a flat in eManzimtoti south of Durban in the early hours on Friday.
The second suspect, Fezile Ngubane, who was handed over to authorities by his father at the KwaMashu police station, has been cleared by police upon further investigation.
“An investigation has cleared Fezile Ngubane as a suspect in the Olorato murder case. Ngubane washes cars for a living and was targeted by the deceased Philangenkosi Makhanya, who used his ID to Rica (register) SIM cards with his details,” said national police spokesperson Athlende Mathe.
Mathe said Makhanya used these SIM cards to communicate with women. “He (Ngubane ) has been released.”
Fezile Ngubane, Bongani Mthimkhulu and Philangenkosi Makhanya were the three suspects wanted by police in connection with the murder of Olorato Mongale. Ngubane has since been cleared by police.
Image: SAPS
Police are still hunting for Bongani Mthimkhulu, the third suspect wanted in connection with Mongale’s murder.
Mongale’s aunt said the family is happy that the perpetrators were found, especially the main suspect.
“We would have hoped that he would have his day in court so that we could all be able to see who this person is and hopefully get some answers from him,” she said.
However, she said the police “did what they had to do” after the suspect attacked them.
“The turnaround time from the beginning of this investigation has been very good. We are very pleased with that. It’s before the funeral on Sunday and we already know who the people are,” she said.
On Friday, while discussing the developments in the case, Mathe confirmed that police are investigating a syndicate.
She said police have “broken the back” of the syndicate which targets young women and uses the same modus operandi of propositioning women, usually at malls, requesting to take them out on dates, then robbing them.
Mathe said Makhanya and Mthimkhulu were out on bail on a charge of kidnapping and robbery in Brakpan in April, where they used the same VW Polo in the commissioning of a crime. The court later ordered that the vehicle be returned to its owner.
Police said the white VW Polo was seized from a panel beater workshop in Phoenix, Durban, with traces of blood. According to reports, an elderly man believed to be the owner of the vehicle has been arrested while his wife was also arrested for tipping off their son, Makhanya, that the police were looking for him.
Wits said a memorial service was held for Mongale in Bloemfontein on Thursday, followed by a prayer service on Friday. “She will be laid to rest on Sunday, 1 June 2025, at a private cemetery in Bloemfontein.”
Mongale’s murder has once again shone a spotlight on gender-based violence (GBV) and sparked national outrage from the public and anti-GBV organisations.