A 26-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of Lozala Gungxe (48) and is expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Monday 9 March.
The suspect was arrested by the Western Cape Serious Violent Crime detectives on Friday 6 March night.
Gungxe, a Proportional Representation Councillor, was gunned down in Crossroads, Nyanga, on Tuesday 3 February after attending a community meeting.
Since the murder, police have been on the hunt for suspects, and they eventually made a breakthrough on Friday.
Suspect arrested in connection with Lazola Gungxe murder
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Novela Potelwa said police are still continuing with their investigation and praised the officers for their resilience.
“Since the murder occurred, provincial detectives have been hard at work pursuing leads as part of the investigation. As the investigation continues, it is envisaged that it will shed light on whether the suspect could be linked to other crimes. The investigation will also determine if there were other suspects involved in the shooting incident,” said Potelwa.
Community welcomes arrest of suspect
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, described the arrest as a “victory for the community”.
He said they want the law to take its course.
“We believe the suspect’s arrest will give us answers about who was behind the killing of Gungxe. We need nothing but the truth. Crossroads has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Gungxe is not the first leader to be killed in the area. We want justice for Gungxe,” he said.
