Police have arrested a second suspect in connection with the murder of EFF member Monica Dube, who was shot dead at her home in Wallmannsthal, Tshwane, in June.
The 39-year-old man was arrested by the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) on Tuesday evening following an intelligence-driven investigation, according to SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 7 October, where he will face a charge of murder.
Dube, 44, was killed in the presence of her family at her Wallmannsthal home in June.
The latest arrest comes months after the PKTT arrested Sipho Mahlangu in July in connection with the killing.
Mahlangu has made several appearances in the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court and remains in custody.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mahlangu faces charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. It is alleged that he and another man broke into Dube’s home through a window during the early hours of 13 June.
The State alleges that the two men entered Dube’s bedroom, where she was shot in the head while her children were present. Her cellphone was allegedly taken during the attack.
Mahlangu was arrested after Dube’s daughter allegedly recognised him at a taxi rank on 4 July and alerted police. He was subsequently taken into custody by the PKTT.
Mahlangu initially appeared in the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court in July, when his case was postponed to allow for a formal bail application. He later abandoned his bail application and remained in custody. The matter was postponed to 17 September for further investigations.
The arrest of the second suspect comes as police continue investigating whether others were involved in the killing.
At the time of Mahlangu’s arrest, police said they were also working to establish whether there were people who may have ordered the killing.
Dube was the EFF Tshwane Region Two secretary and election coordinator. Her murder sparked concern within the party, particularly because she had previously survived an assassination attempt.
According to reports, Dube had been shot 11 times during an earlier attack in March and spent weeks in intensive care before recovering.
Her subsequent killing raised questions about whether the two attacks were connected, although police have not publicly confirmed a motive or established such a link.
The latest arrest is being viewed as a significant development in the investigation, with the PKTT now having two suspects in custody in connection with Dube’s death.
Mathe said investigators had positively linked the 39-year-old suspect to the murder following their intelligence-driven probe.
The suspect’s appearance on Wednesday is expected to provide the first opportunity for the court to formally process the new accused.
The case against Mahlangu remains before the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court.
The investigation is continuing.
