‘He is not hiding his face like the others. That shows he has nothing to hide,’
KWAMHLANGA – The family of Samuel Mogongwe, one of the suspects in the murder case of journalist Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Mdluli, says they believe their son is innocent.
Mogongwe, along with three other men — Lucky Michael Sikhosana, Thato Madisha and Sello Uoane — appeared in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. The group faces charges of kidnapping, house robbery, and two counts of murder each. Sibusiso and Zodwa were reported missing on February 18, 2025. Since then, police from Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and National Head Office have been working together to investigate the case. Last week, the team made a grim discovery — two decomposed bodies were found in KwaMhlanga. Forensic testing is underway to confirm whether the remains are those of the missing couple. However, results are still pending. Mogongwe previously worked for the couple as their e-hailing driver.
His family told Highveld Chronicle they are shocked by the murder charges and are adamant that he is not capable of such a crime. “My son is not a killer. He works hard and helps support us,” said Mogongwe’s mother, Anna Jiane. She added that her son is being wrongly accused.
His sister, Rejane Jiane, also voiced her disbelief, saying her brother has never had any run-ins with the law and that even the community is surprised. “He is not hiding his face like the others. That shows he has nothing to hide,” she said.
Two of the accused, Madisha and Uoane, had previously opted not to apply for bail.
This week, Mogongwe and Sikhosana were expected to proceed with their bail applications. However, their lawyer informed the magistrate that they would also no longer pursue bail.
Rejane expressed confusion about her brother’s decision to abandon his bail application. “He has a wife and two children. Why didn’t he try to come home? Did someone talk him out of it?” she asked.
The case has been postponed to June 20, 2025 to allow police to continue with their investigations.
