By Lwanda Mene
A police officer is behind bars after a taxi boss was kidnapped and murdered in Philippi East.
SAPS confirmed that two suspects aged 28 and 42 were arrested and made a court appearance in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court for the murder of Sipho Ganeko earlier this month.
A resident, who did not want to be named, says the taxi operator was kidnapped following an argument with the two arrested suspects.
The source reveals: “On 6 February at around 11pm, the victim, a taxi boss, came back from work and parked the Toyota Quantum as usual.
“He went into the house and informed his girlfriend that he will be stepping outside to go chill with his two known friends.
“At about midnight, the victim’s girlfriend said she heard a heated argument with the brother of one of his known friends.
“She heard several gunshots being discharged and could hear that her boyfriend was telling the brother to put his firearm away so that they could settle the argument with fists...
“After that, she heard him shouting her name to come outside, immediately she rushed to the door and when she got outside, she saw... two other unknown men dragging the deceased into a car which then drove off with him.”
It is not clear what the men were arguing about.
The source says family and friends launched a search for Sipho, including at hospitals and morgues, and eventually found his body at the Salt River mortuary.
Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata) spokesperson Nkululeko Sityebi, when asked about the incident, responded: “I was not aware of that incident, therefore I cannot give any statement regarding the incident.”
Two suspects, Siyabonga Mfanasi, 42, and Vika Mfanasi, 28, were arrested. Siyabonga is a sergeant stationed at Athlone SAPS, while police are still hunting two others.
Police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirms: “Philippi East police are investigating the circumstances that led to the kidnapping of a 35-year-old man on 6 February in Nondlawana Street, Lower Crossroads.
“The investigation into the matter is still ongoing and arrests are yet to be made.
“We can confirm that two suspects aged 28 and 42 were arrested and made a court appearance in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court.
“The matter was remanded until 20 February for a formal bail application.”Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen says: “The alleged involvement of a SAPS officer is deeply concerning.
“We cannot have officers placing themselves in compromising situations such as these. It is critical that SAPS get to the bottom of this entire matter so that there is justice for the victim.”