Durban - A police source has confirmed that a suspect in the Mluleki Mbewana murder investigation, has handed himself over to officers at the Sydenham police station. Sources confirmed that the suspect has been charged with murder.
The man, who cannot be named as he is yet to appear in court, is believed to have handed himself over earlier this afternoon.
Mbewana, a well-known socialite in KwaZulu-Natal was shot and killed outside a popular nightclub in the Umgeni Business Park last month.
According to reports, the shooting took place in full view of witnesses and was captured on video.
While the motive for the shooting is yet to be determined, witnesses claimed that Mbewana had shared a joke with a group of women who he passed as he was leaving the club.
A witness went on to claim that this irritated the alleged shooter who then grabbed his gun from another man, believed to be a bodyguard, and allegedly fired several shots while walking towards Mbewana. Mbewana was rushed to hospital in a private vehicle and died shortly thereafter.
A police source said the man handed himself over, in the presence of his attorney. The source added that the man is due to appear in court either tomorrow or Thursday.
DA Caucas Leader in eThekwini, Nicole Graham, said it was an indictment that it took this long to find a suspect.
“There was so much evidence. There were numerous people in attendance, security, CCTV footage and witnesses who were not interviewed. While I am pleased that there is progress, it is very scary that something like this can happen. It seems as though until there was public outcry there was very little action on behalf of the SAPS and we need to know why this was the case. People need to be safe when they go out,” she said.
DA KZN spokesperson on Community Safety and Liaison, Sharon Hoosen said for close to two weeks no arrests were made on a murder that happened in front of witnesses outside the Rich Nightclub.
“Although the story was trending on social media platforms calling on SAPS to act, no arrests were made. Now that the suspect has handed himself over to SAPS, it is of utmost importance that SAPS make this case a priority so that justice is served for the family and friends of Mbewana. All eyes are on the Sydenham police station to ensure a prompt finalization of this case. This is a small step for SAPS to gain back the confidence of the community. The Democratic Alliance will be monitoring this case closely to ensure that there are no further trivial delays on this matter,” she said.
Mbewana was also known as the “Drip King” because of his flashy lifestyle. Mbewana was a civil engineer by profession and was a senior official at the King Cetshwayo District Municipality. He was laid to rest in his hometown of uMthwalume, outside of Port Shepstone at the weekend.
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