He is linked to the murder of at least one of six slain sex workers. But the DNA evidence continues to hinder progress in the matter of 20-year-old Sifiso Mkhwanazi who was charged with one count of murder in connection with the corpse of a pregnant woman that was found in his father's makeshift warehouse near Faraday Taxi Rank.??
?WHY THE DELAY?
Although the accused was charged with one count of murder, six bodies of alleged sex workers were discovered at the warehouse. Since Mkhwanazi's arrest in October, none of the bodies have been positively identified because of a backlog at the government's forensic department. Visibly frustrated state prosecutor, Tshepo Mahange kaMzizi lambasted the police for failing to prepare for the court appearance. "One of the instruments that the state may use is Section [342a] that the court on its own may hold that inquiry to find out what is holding back the finalisation of the investigations that, then, needs to put this matter to clarity.' Once again the matter had to be postponed to February for the same reason of pending DNA results.
WHAT SAPS SAY?
Gauteng South African Police Service (SAPS) spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili says that the grim discovery was made after police were called to the building due to a foul smell coming out of one of the rooms. "That is when the body of a woman was found. A preliminary investigation led the police to the suspect, believed to be the last person seen with the deceased woman, "she says. "It is reported that on 2 October 2022 at 8 PM, the suspect was seen with the deceased woman. She was never seen again until her body was discovered on Sunday morning. The clothes she was wearing match the description of one of the missing persons reported recently.' She says upon questioning the suspect, the police went back to the building and five more bodies were discovered outside the building where there is a makeshift workshop and rubbish dumpsters. Sex workers have been attending to the matter and claim they will not give up until they know that the colleague's deaths were not in vain.
