RUSTENBURG - The family of Tebogo Ndlovu who went missing in August last year while allegedly stealing oranges at a farm in Majakaneng, near Brits in the North West, have put their faith in God.
"God shall answer for us. We will never ever see Tebogo again, but we have accepted everything because there is nothing we can do," his aunt Nancy Sekgobela told the African News Agency (ANA).
"All the family want is his bones or his clothes to find closure."
The case against a farmer's son, accused of the murder of Ndlovu, was on Monday discharged at the High Court in Pretoria.
Mathew Benson was cleared of all charges which included murder and attempted murder after his legal team applied to the court for him to be released under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The State conceded that it had no case against Benson.
READ: WATCH: Brits farmer's son, accused of murder, walks free
Ndlovu, 24, went missing on August 2, 2017, after he was shot, allegedly by Benson, also 24.
Ndlovu and two of his cousins had allegedly gone to farm G11 in Mooinooi near Majakaneng to steal oranges, but when they arrived at the farm they realised they did not have bags to put the oranges in and reportedly went to look for scrap metal at the farm.
Benson spotted them and allegedly chased them while shooting at them. Ndlovu was reportedly hit in the leg and his friends attempted to carry him while fleeing from Benson, but found he was too heavy for them and they left him behind under a tree. He has not been seen since. His cousins escaped unharmed.
Majakaneng residents waged a violent protest after Ndlovu went missing. A number of vehicles were torched, while the N4 and R104 roads between Pretoria and Rustenburg, as well as the R566 road linking Pretoria and Sun City were barricaded. Many residents of Majakaneng also protested at the Brits Magistrate's Court during the initial bail hearing.