The remains of a journalist and his partner have been discovered in South Africa, significantly decomposed, over two months after their disappearance, according to local media reports.
Police confirmed the discovery of human remains, but DNA testing is required to verify their identities as radio journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli.
In a collaborative statement, two media organizations announced that police made progress by arresting five suspects.
The couple was reportedly murdered, and their bodies were abandoned in a bush in the northern Limpopo province, leaving the media groups in shock and disbelief.
The suspects were allegedly apprehended with stolen furniture, appliances, and parts of a vehicle belonging to the missing couple, who had not been seen since February 18.
Ndlovu was the founder of Capital Live, a local radio station in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital.
The African Media and Communicators Forum (AMCF) and the National Press Club (NPC) indicated that a forensic team had already confirmed the remains belonged to the couple.
AMCF chairperson Elijah Mhlanga expressed deep sorrow, stating, ‘I am terribly sad. We held out hope that despite the number of days that the couple had gone missing, they would still be found alive.
Our deepest condolences go out to the families of our brother and sister.’
South Africa is known for having one of the highest crime rates globally, instilling fear in many residents, official statistics revealed that 26,232 murders occurred in 2024, averaging 72 per day.
