A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of two cousins in Mamelodi East, Gauteng police confirmed. The suspect is scheduled to appear before the Mamelodi Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The victims have been identified as Tshiamo and Baleseng Moramaga. Their bodies were discovered by locals in Extension 7 on Sunday morning, both with gunshot wounds. According to a reporter on the scene, the bodies were found in a sandy patch of land, covered by sports material.
Police reported that a third woman survived the attack, though details of her condition have not been disclosed.
The arrest was made at a filling station earlier today, within 24 hours of the discovery of the bodies. The investigation was a collaborative effort between a provincial-level detective team, a unit specializing in violence, and the Mamelodi East police station.
Authorities have not released the name of the suspect pending his court appearance.
However, the family of the victims stated they have not yet been officially informed of the arrest by the investigating officer. The mother of one of the deceased expressed her shock, telling reporters she did not know the arrested individual but had someone in mind based on a prior conversation with her daughter, Tshiamo. She said she could only confirm her suspicions once the suspect is presented in court.
Community members in Extension 7, described as a typically quiet area where such violent incidents are rare, assisted the investigation. Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party alerted police to a cartridge they believed was linked to the shooting, which was subsequently confiscated by authorities.
Unconfirmed reports from the community suggest that one of the victims may have sent a text message to a friend prior to the attack, expressing that she feared for her life.
Reflecting on the tragedy, the mother of Tshiamo recounted that the last time she saw her daughter was on Friday, when Tshiamo visited her in Atteridgeville (Saulsville) and helped her with her hair. She now wonders if that visit was her daughter’s way of saying goodbye.
The family, still in a state of profound shock, is hoping that the suspect’s court appearance on Wednesday will provide some answers and a path toward closure.
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