By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a South African university student has been killed in a shootout with security agents, the police said.
The unnamed suspect was neutralised in the early hours of Friday at a residential complex in the coastal town of Amanzimtoti where he was hiding, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
The male suspect is linked to the death of Olorato Mongale, whose body was found in Johannesburg on Sunday, shortly after she was reported missing having gone on a date.
He had opened fire at police officers from his hiding. He was, however, gunned down in the ensuing exchange, Mathe added.
As at the time of his death, the suspect had 28 ID cards and a dozen mobile phones in his possession, says regional police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The killing of Mongale has sparked a fierce debate about the levels of violence faced by women in South Africa.
The Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, in a statement described Ms Mongale’s death as “inhumane” and “gruesome”, adding: “To all men, this is a plea – simple, urgent, and human: Please, stop killing women.”
As the search for two other men allegedly linked to the murder continues, the police took into custody the parents of the deceased suspect. His mother is accused of enabling him to “evade arrest” by tipping him off about the police’s presence at her house.
The police also said the suspect’s father is the owner of a VW Polo allegedly used in Ms Mongale’s murder.
The vehicle, which has been seized by the police, had traces of blood inside it, the police spokesperson said.
The suspect’s parents were questioned in custody but have now been released, said Commissioner Mkhwanazi.
When Ms Mongale was last seen on Sunday, she was on a date with a man she had met a few days earlier at a shopping centre.
CCTV footage showed her leaving a location in Kew, Johannesburg, and walking towards a white VW Polo with fake licence plates.
The 30-year-old’s friends said she was invited for a date by a man only identified as John, whom she had met in Johannesburg, where she was studying for a postgraduate degree at Witwatersrand University.
She texted one of her friends shortly before leaving home, saying that she was excited and getting ready for her date.
The police later found her body in an open field, sparking public outrage and calls for justice.
Family spokesperson Criselda Kananda said Ms Mongale’s body was “brutally violated”.
