Suspect in Constable Thabo Mdluli’s 2020 murder surrenders after nearly seven years on the run

A 34-year-old suspect linked by forensic evidence to the 2020 shooting and carjacking that killed Constable Thabo Mdluli surrendered at Kwaggafontein on 22 September and has been charged with murder and carjacking.

Arrest follows forensic breakthrough

Police said fingerprints recovered from the vehicle involved in the incident linked the suspect to the crime. The Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) conducted the forensic examination that produced the critical lead, and investigators later issued a J50 warrant of apprehension.

What happened on the night of the shooting

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said Mdluli was murdered on 23 May 2020. On that night, Constable Mdluli and two colleagues, a male sergeant and a female constable, stopped a white Toyota Corolla at the R573 Vlaklaagte No. 1 intersection after noticing three male occupants.

Nkosi said one of the occupants allegedly staged a medical emergency to create a distraction. When the officers ordered the occupants out of the vehicle, one suspect allegedly produced a firearm and opened fire on the police. Constable Mdluli was fatally wounded during the attack, and the suspects fled the scene, leaving behind one occupant who allegedly claimed he had been the victim of a carjacking.

Surrender and court appearance

Investigators conducted tracing operations at addresses linked to the suspect and his relatives. The sustained efforts culminated when the suspect handed himself over at Kwaggafontein Police Station on 22 September. He is in custody and is expected to make his first appearance before Mokobola Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 23 September 2026.

Agency cooperation and response

Police described the breakthrough as the result of close cooperation between Kwaggafontein Detectives and the DPCI Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) in Middelburg. The Provincial Head of the DPCI in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, welcomed the development and commended investigators.

“A murder does not expire with time. The investigation continues until those responsible are brought to court. The arrest of this suspect demonstrates our investigators’ determination to pursue every available lead, no matter how long it takes. We will continue working alongside our SAPS colleagues to ensure that serious and violent offenders are held accountable through the criminal justice system,”

Ongoing commitment

The DPCI and SAPS reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing outstanding suspects and bringing unresolved serious and violent crimes to court.