A 60-year-old woman and two other suspects are expected to appear before the Nebo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 07 May 2025, in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 64-year-old male nurse, Morudi Frank Phetla, which occurred in Jane Furse in March 2025.
The suspects are facing charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, and murder.
On Monday, 05 May 2025, at approximately 18:00, a joint operation was conducted by members of the Jane Furse Tracking Team and the Provincial Organised Crime Unit in Gauteng. The intelligence-driven operation targeted areas in Ekurhuleni, Kempton Park, and Tembisa, following credible information relating to the case.
During the operation, a 49-year-old African female suspect was arrested at an estate in Kempton Park. Meanwhile, a 42-year-old African male suspect was apprehended in Tembisa.
The team then travelled to Limpopo, where a 60-year-old woman, was arrested in Jane Furse.
The arrests stem from an incident on 16 March 2025, when Mr. Morudi Frank Phetla was kidnapped outside his home in the Zamane Section of Jane Furse at approximately 19:00. His vehicle was later found idling with its headlights on, but he was missing. A kidnapping case was opened.
On the morning of 17 March 2025, at around 06:30, Mr. Phetla’s body was discovered by a shepherd under the Mabintana Bridge in Jane Furse. He had sustained fatal head injuries.
The motive for the murder remains unknown, and investigations are ongoing.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has commended the swift and coordinated efforts of the investigative team, which led to the timely arrest of the suspects.
Lieutenant General Hadebe further reiterated the SAPS’s commitment to justice, stating that “no stone will be left unturned in uncovering all the circumstances surrounding this heinous crimes.”
