Thohoyandou police have launched a manhunt for suspects in the brutal murders of Thivhilaeli Hlungwani, a rumoured Vhembe kingpin, and a female victim, whose bullet-riddled bodies were found in a vehicle in the early hours of Sunday, 23 April 2023.
Police confirm Thivhilaeli Hlungwani was assassinated
In a statement, Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba revealed a team of SAPS officers was dispatched to an active shooting scene outside a popular restaurant in Thohoyandou’s CBD, at approximately 02:40.
On arrival, police found the vehicle parked outside the eatery, which, by then, was deserted. The male victim was slumped in the driver’s seat, next to his female companion.
The state of the vehicle, which first responders reported was riddled with bullets, informed investigators that two or more gunmen were likely involved in the shooting.
Moreover, Col. Ledwaba confirmed murder detectives’ early suspicions that the victims were likely caught off-guard on their way in or out of the vehicle. This further cements mounting speculation that Thivhilaeli Hlungwani the target of an assassination plot, and his female companion was, unfortunately, collateral damage.
According to eyewitnesses, the suspects responsible for Thivhilaeli Hlungwani’s death sped off in a white bakkie.
“The motive for killing the two is unknown at this stage and police investigations are ongoing,” Ledwaba said.
Hlungwani was a feared underworld leader in the Vhembe district, with links to the Black Mafia, a notorious kidnapping syndicate.
This is a developing story.