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Horror in Poortjie as five arrested after New Year’s Eve kidnappings and murders
What began as a desperate missing persons search on New Year’s Eve has ended in heartbreak and arrests, after two women were found murdered and dumped in an open veld in Poortjie near Orange Farms.
Police confirmed this week that five suspects were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the hijacking, kidnapping, and murder of the women, whose bodies were discovered last Thursday in a partially decomposed state. The case has shaken communities across southern Gauteng, where fears around hijackings and ransom-driven kidnappings remain painfully close to home.
From missing persons to a murder investigation
The women were reported missing on New Year’s Eve, a time usually marked by celebration rather than anxiety. Matters escalated when a ransom demand was made to one victim’s mother, prompting police to reclassify the case as hijacking and kidnapping.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, specialised resources were deployed to trace and rescue the victims. Despite those efforts, their bodies were later found dumped in an open veld in Poortjie, confirming the worst fears of their families.
Arrests made across Gauteng
Acting on intelligence, investigators moved swiftly. Four suspects were arrested in Evaton, while a fifth was traced to Germiston. During the arrests, police recovered an unlicensed firearm, which will now undergo ballistic testing to establish whether it was used in the commission of the crime.
In a further breakthrough, investigators traced the victims’ vehicle to Brits, where it was found abandoned at a car wash. Police said the car had been fitted with false number plates but still displayed the correct licence disc, a detail that is now part of the ongoing investigation.
Community shock and police response
The brutality of the crime has sparked widespread reaction on social media, with residents expressing anger, grief, and renewed concern about violent crime in residential areas that many consider quiet or overlooked. Calls for stronger visible policing and faster response times have featured heavily in online discussions since news of the arrests broke.
Provincial police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni has welcomed the arrests, praising investigators for their work in tracking down the suspects through intelligence-led policing.
Court appearance expected
All five suspects are expected to appear in the Vereeniging Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to piece together the full sequence of events that led to the women’s deaths.
For now, Poortjie and the surrounding communities are left grappling with the reality of a crime that has turned a New Year’s Eve disappearance into a devastating loss and a sobering reminder of the violence still faced by many across Gauteng.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: VUT Research
