The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) are seeking the public’s assistance to find a suspect linked to the murder of former Ses'khona People’s Movement leader and former African National Congress Youth League, Loyiso Nkohla.
This is the fourth suspect to be linked to Nkohla’s murder in recent weeks.
The Hawks’ Zinzi Hani said its ’ National Priority Violent Crime Investigation team seeks assistance in tracing Mzubanzi Luyanda Chulayo also known as Maya or Sgwili.
“Mzubanzi was identified as a suspect in the murder case where Loyiso Nkohla was killed on April 17, 2023, at the Phillippi train station.
“The Hawks have since been probing the case and they request anyone who might shed some light on the whereabouts of Mzubanzi (pictured) to kindly contact the Investigating Officer Sergeant SZ Hlatshaneni at 082 479 6265.
“Information received will be treated as confidential,” Hani said.
On November 16, the man who was accused of being the mastermind of the murder, Thobani Maxengana of Limise Protection Services (Pty) Ltd, was arrested in Peddie in the Eastern Cape.
He was set to appear in court the following day in the East London Magistrate’s Court but was found dead in the holding cells.
At the time, the Hawks said no foul play has been suspected and it was confirmed Maxengana died of a heart attack.
Days before his arrest on November 13, members of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Bellville traced and arrested Mziyanda Mdlungu, 38, in Katlehong in Ekurhuleni.
The first suspect, Zukisa Tshabile, 38, was arrested on October 27, during his court appearance in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court, the court heard Tshabile was allegedly linked to the incident through another suspect, who hired him and others to kill the former ANCYL leader.
He abandoned bail.
Earlier this week, as the two suspects in custody appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court.
The court heard the hit placed on Nkohla’s life was R20,000.
According to reports by the Cape Argus, a meeting was held prior to the assassination.
The State said the meeting was convened by Maxengana and was attended by Mdlungu and Tshabile along with other men.
A hit was also placed on Nkohla’s wife, Nyameka Mabandla.
Nyameka expressed her shocked to hear that the person who supported Nkohla during his mother’s passing was the mastermind behind the attack.
“He went to the funeral and then two weeks later he did this. They were from the same town, Loyiso helped him when he was struggling. The meeting they all attended was to resolve the issue of the employees who were not paid. We knew Thobani.
“This is someone who approached Loyiso to resuscitate his business, for him to turn and want to kill the both of us is disgusting and to kill Loyiso for R20 000. I had my suspicions but wasn’t sure it was really him,” Mabandla told the Cape Argus.