Murder of Young Teacher Shocks Botshabelo Community Amid Spate of Robberies

Crime/ 29 September 2023, 07:10am/ Staff Writer

Fezile Frederick Mnyobisi: Image Facebook

By Staff Writer: A local teacher’s life was brutally cut short in a notorious passageway known for its rampant robberies in Botshabelo’s Section H, as per the local residents. The victim, identified as Fezile Frederick Mnyobisi, 35, was fatally stabbed on 15 September in the passage that borders the Setjhaba se Maketse Combined School and private residences.

Residents revealed they were unaware of the attack on the night it occurred. The crime was only discovered in the following morning, when bloodstains were noticed on the ground. The community was later shocked to learn that the victim was a well-respected local teacher.

Although the passageway has a history of robberies, local occupants assert that this is the first murder incident they have come to know of. The perpetrators appear to take advantage of the area’s obscurity during the night, using the “blanket of darkness” to carry out their criminal activities.

Mnyobisi, who served at the Refihlile Primary School in Section C, was a beloved figure in the community. His brutal murder has sent shockwaves through the area, leaving his family and the broader community in deep mourning. He was laid to rest in his home in the Eastern Cape on 24 September.

According to Lt. Col Thabo Covane, the spokesperson of the police in the Mangaung Metro, initial investigations suggest that robbery was the motive behind Mnyobisi’s murder. The assailants made off with his Samsung Galaxy A04s.

Mnyobisi was pronounced dead at the Botshabelo District Hospital following an urgent trip by his wife in a private vehicle. A murder case has been opened at the Botshabelo Police Station, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend the culprits.

The police are urging the public to assist in their investigations. Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of suspects is asked to contact the investigating officer, Sgt Pakiso Elias Maja, at 082-466-8341 or their nearest police station. Information can also be submitted through the MySAPS App or by calling the Crime Stop number at 08600-10111.

The shock of this horrific incident underscores the urgent need for improved security measures in the area, particularly in the infamously dangerous passageway. The local community now waits for justice for Mnyobisi, and for steps to be taken to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.