Pretoria - One of the three suspects believed to be involved in the murder of Matwetwe lead actor Sibusiso Khwinana, 25, has been arrested and is due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court this morning.
This was revealed by Police Minister Bheki Cele to mourners during the Soshanguve actor’s funeral at the AFM Rooftop Restoration Centre in Soshanguve Block K on Saturday.
Cele added that the police were still on the hunt for two other suspects.
“The one we have arrested must tell us why he did what he did. He will not bring Sibusiso back, but we want to know what happened," Cele said.
“I hear everyone talk about crime, but this is far beyond crime; there is something wrong that needs to be fixed. We are a sick and crazy nation. I wonder if the people who did this know the damage they’ve caused.
“There are people in Pretoria who think they are above everyone and that this is the capital for everything, but we will clean up the city.
“When I first got to Pretoria there was a very famous and notorious man by the name of Mashobane and right now he is serving his 32-year sentence.
“There is another famous one in Mamelodi known as Vusi “Khekhe” Mathibela. There was someone named Elias Skhosana. He told the media I was not in the community to address crime issues but to plead for votes.
“Please feel free to visit him in jail because we arrested him last night. We also arrested four bodyguards from KwaZulu-Natal who were meant to guard Khekhe,” the minister said.
Hundreds of people gathered to bid farewell to Khwinana, among them Arts and Culture Department director general Vusi Mkhize, Premier David Makhura and the Speaker of Tshwane Council Katlego Mathebe.
Mourners wept as they said their final goodbye.
The young actor was described as a humble person who never quarrelled with anyone.
The father-of-one died at the hands of criminals who robbed him off his cellphone while he waited for a taxi outside Sterland Mall in Arcadia. He was stabbed in the chest when he tried to fight back.
While the actor's family wept uncontrollably, director and comedian Kagiso Lediga said Khwinana was already great and inspiring by the time he met him.
“When I discovered him during the auditions at the State Theatre, he was already a genius that was changing a lot of lives. It is crazy that a person at only 25 can do so much in a little time,” he said.
Younger sister Thandeka asked Khwinana to watch over the family from heaven.
“Please give me strength to fulfil all the plans we had at home," she said.