Author: A.B. 

Both Bongeka and Popi came from the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the southeastern part of South Africa. They met while studying drama in Durban, the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, and became close friends. Coming from modest families with limited financial means, they shared a strong ambition and a passion for art and theatre. After completing their studies, they decided to move together to Johannesburg, where they lived together and tried to build a life in the creative sector. 

The investigation

After the murders, the investigation was quickly hampered by the police’s lack of due diligence. 

On May 21, 2017, two taxi drivers—Alec Magaula MaMothame (43) and Sandile Nkosi (25)—were arrested and charged with murder, robbery, and kidnapping.

To understand this case, it’s important to look at the facts and testimonies:

During the bail hearing, MaMothame testified that on the night in question, he was driving the taxi with three men and two women (Popi and Bongeka) as passengers. He claimed that the men attacked him, hijacked the vehicle, and that he escaped by jumping out of the moving taxi, leaving the women behind. 

MaMothame said he then informed the taxi owner, Johannes Mkhwanazi, about the incident, and they agreed to meet at Jabulani police station. While waiting there, Mkhwanazi received a call that the taxi’s location had been discovered in Mapetla, a Soweto suburb, thanks to its tracking system—a common feature in South Africa due to frequent hijackings. They drove together to Mapetla, where police and tracking company staff were already present. They were told the men driving the taxi had fled the scene. Since they left early and no official police report exists, this part of MaMothame’s account cannot be confirmed. 

Sandile Nkosi, the other man arrested, admitted to finding and taking one of the victim’s phones when he parked the taxi. However, it is still unclear why Nkosi was there, how he knew where the taxi's location was, or who asked him to park it.

There’s no evidence that the police were initially guided by eyewitnesses or surveillance cameras. Instead, they found the suspects through the taxi’s tracking system. The discovery of the victims’ belongings in the taxi and the phone in Nkosi’s possession led to their arrests.

Unfortunately, it remains unclear who exactly was in the taxi, as the police either never properly examined the vehicle or failed to collect and present any solid forensic evidence, such as DNA, fingerprints, shoeprints, or trace evidence like hairs, fibers, or skin cells. Because of these investigative failures, much about the case remains speculation. 

The bail hearing was postponed because the magistrate found the investigating officer’s statement too vague and lacking specifics about the alleged forensic evidence. Although the officer claimed there was such evidence, no concrete forensic proof was presented in court. The alleged blood in the taxi was never confirmed. No firearm was recovered, and the officer suggested there could be other suspects. 

The case against the two taxi drivers dragged on for months, but both were eventually granted bail due to weak evidence. With the prosecution unable to proceed, the case was dropped and no further investigation took place.

According to the families, important investigative steps (such as tracing the phones and processing the taxi) were either not carried out or done poorly. The families experienced the police investigation as inadequate and frustrating, and there was no prospect of progress or reopening of the case. 

Help from Amnesty International

In 2020, full forensic evidence reports had still not been released, and the police investigation was, according to the family, riddled with mistakes. Amnesty International launched a global Write for Rights campaign to reopen the investigation into the murders of Popi and Bongeka, collecting a total of 316,796 signatures. When the signatures were handed over to the South African police, they officially promised to reopen the investigation.

An inquest on the way?

There was still insufficient evidence to prosecute any suspects. The two previous suspects had already been released due to lack of evidence, and important leads were never properly investigated or followed up. In June 2023 National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi, announced that the case had been referred to the Protea Magistrate’s Court for an inquest. 

Again silence

Despite national outrage and numerous calls for justice, the case remains unsolved to this day, leaving Bongeka and Popi’s families without answers and in a state of uncertainty. It appears the case has come to a standstill once again, but there is still hope that the inquest may eventually lead to a breakthrough and help address the serious investigative failures that have compromised the possibility of justice for so long. However, reports confirm that the inquest has not yet begun, partly due to the investigating officer’s failure to provide sufficient information. After all these years, the situation has come full circle. 

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