By Mapaballo Borotho
- Mazwi Khubeka resurfaced after being missing for a month, sparking widespread speculation about his alleged kidnapping.
- Authorities, led by Panyaza Lesufi, confirmed that both South Africans and foreign nationals, including Ethiopian suspects, are linked to the case.
- Investigations continue as police work to uncover the full details, with the victim unable to account for much of his captivity due to being blindfolded.
There have been a lot of assumptions circulating on social media platforms this past weekend about what really happened to Mazwi Mpumelelo Khubeka.
This comes after the 27-year-old spaza shop owner shockingly resurfaced at the Vosloorus Police Station after missing for the entire month of April.
Khubeka was suspected to have been allegedly kidnapped by foreign nationals who are also spaza shop owners over an ownership dispute.
His family had repeatedly raised suspicions about foreign-owned spaza shop operators, although no evidence has been publicly confirmed.
Fortunately, Mazwi was found alive, but the question remains: what really happened, and where was the 27-year-old?
In an effort to address these questions and assumptions, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the provincial police addressed the media on Sunday, 3 May 2026.
Lesufi assured that law enforcement agencies have now identified those behind the crime and that investigations into the case are continuing.
“We want to reiterate that this matter is not closed. There are areas that we believe, if we follow up on this case, it will assist us in resolving many other cases that are either similar or of the same nature,” Lesufi said.
He explained that police had deliberately withheld sensitive information during the investigation to avoid compromising the case or alerting suspects, which led to public perception that little progress had been made.
Lesufi confirmed that those involved in the kidnapping include both South Africans and foreign nationals, with two suspects of Ethiopian origin.
“We can confirm it is a combination of two South Africans and foreign nationals, including two suspects of Ethiopian origin,” he said.
Authorities are still investigating whether the incident is linked to spaza shop-related crime or broader criminal activity.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said the victim indicated he was guarded by two Malawian nationals during his captivity.
Mthombeni added that the victim could not fully account for events during his captivity, as he had been blindfolded for most of the time.
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