FREE STATE — Authorities have arrested a 50-year-old suspect for the alleged murder of his ex-girlfriend in Zamdela, following a deadly shooting incident that left 38-year-old Matseleng Lydia Motsoane dead at a local eatery.
The tragic event unfolded on the evening of Saturday, August 1, 2026, at approximately 20:00. According to police spokespersons representing the Welkom Anti-Gang Unit, officers received a critical tip-off from an unidentified man who reported that his sister had been shot by her former boyfriend. The incident took place at a chesa nyama located directly behind the Zamdela Police Station.
Law enforcement responders arrived promptly at the location and discovered Motsoane, an adult African female, lying motionless in a severe pool of blood. Despite immediate intervention and assessment by Emergency Medical Services personnel, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators were subsequently guided to the 50-year-old suspect, who was discovered on the ground suffering from head trauma. Police spokespersons confirmed that the suspect had reportedly been beaten by local community members in the immediate aftermath of the alleged shooting.
Preliminary investigations have outlined a volatile sequence of events leading to the fatality. The suspect reportedly approached the victim’s brother at the chicken dust restaurant, aggressively accusing him of introducing his former girlfriend to other men. The confrontation escalated when the suspect allegedly summoned both Motsoane and her brother outside and discharged his weapon at them.
Although both targets initially retreated into the restaurant to evade the gunfire, the assailant pursued them indoors and fatally shot Motsoane. Her brother managed to escape the ordeal without physical injury.
The apprehended man now faces a triad of serious charges, including murder, attempted murder, and the illegal possession of an unlicensed firearm. He is slated to appear before the Sasolburg Magistrate’s Court in the near future to formally answer to these allegations.
