teenager-boys-free-state-river

Generic stock image via Adobe Stock

Bodies of missing 14-year-old teenagers found in Liebenbergsvlei River

Two 14-year-old teenagers went missing while walking alongside the Liebenbergsvlei river.

teenager-boys-free-state-river

Generic stock image via Adobe Stock

SAPS on Friday, 5 March, called on the public to assist in locating two missing Free State teenager boys. Their bodies have now been located. Here’s what we know.

Two missing Free State teenagers

Missing while picking herbs

At the time of their disappearance, Brigadier Motantsi Makhele explained that the teens – who attended LT Nhlabathi School – went missing at about 10:00 on 4 March 2021.

Siphiwe Mlangeni and Moratehi Radebe (both 14 years of age, residing in extension 08 Bohlokong) reportedly went missing while walking alongside the Liebenbergsvlei river next to the railway line.

According to Makhele, it was not far from their homes, and they went to the river to pick herbs. A third boy was with them, but the two missing teens took an alternate route. That was the last time they were seen.

Teens’ bodies retrieved from river

On Wednesday 10 March, Radebe’s body was retrieved from the Liebenbergvlei river while the search for Mlangeni continued. A post-mortem will be conducted on Radebe to determine the cause of death of the body retrieved.

The body of the second teen was recovered from the river as well, on Thursday.

“The retrieval of the second body of 14-year-old Siphiwe Mlangeni brought closure and ended this lengthy search which took almost a week. He was identified by his father before he was taken to the government mortuary where a post-mortem will also be conducted to determine the real cause of death”.

Brigadier Motantsi Makhele

Murder suspect nabbed

In an unrelated case, authorities confirmed today that a suspect was nabbed for the murder of a 19-year-old student. The suspect will appear before the Durban Magistrates Court on Saturday.

The 19-year-old Sifundo Mhlongo was a student at the Durban University of Technology and was fatally stabbed by the 21-year-old suspect while at a student residence on Yusuf Dadoo Street.

The incident took place at approximately 16:50 on 7 January 2021, and Mhlongo sustained a stab wound to the next. Paramedics were notified, but Mhlongo was declared dead at the scene.

Suspect found in Isipingo

Authorities confirmed that the murdered was also a student at the same campus, but had fled the scene after the incident. The suspect had been on the run since then.

At the time, a case of murder was opened at Durban Central SAPS.

“Yesterday morning [11 March], the investigating officer assigned to the case followed up information about the suspect involved in the murder. The suspect was arrested in the Isipingo area where he was hiding.”

Brigadier Motantsi Makhele

The Acting Provincial Commissioner for KwaZulu-Natal, Major General Thulani Gonya praised the investigating officer for his perseverance in solving the case.