A woman and a man have been arrested after being found carrying a suitcase with a man's head and upper body. The Tatenda Mhlanga (33), from Zimbabwe and her accomplice Johannes Lebese (53), from Wattville in Ekurhuleni have already appeared at the Benoni Magistrates Court on charges of murder and violating a corpse. 

NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said that allegations suggest that on 11 November, the two were stopped by the crime prevention wardens (Amapanyaza) while carrying a suitcase. "It is further alleged that the wardens asked the two to open the suitcase and they found a human head and upper body of Mhlanga's ex-boyfriend, Obert Mazadza (42), who is also a Zimbabwean national," she said. Mahanjana said the crime prevention wardens called the police for assistance.

She said when the police arrived and were still busy on the scene, the Community Policing Forum (CPF) came and reported that they found other body parts at a nearby dumping site. "Lebese was arrested on the scene and Mhlanga, who ran away while the wardens were searching the suitcase, handed herself to the police the following day, on 12 November 2023. In court, Mhlanga abandoned her bail application and the matter was postponed to 24 November 2023, for Lebese's formal bail application," she said.