FEZILE Ngubane, once identified as a suspect in a syndicate targeting young women, has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

This was announced in a statement by the police on Saturday afternoon, 31 May.

Police spokeswoman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Fezile’s dad handed him in at the KwaMashu police station on Friday when he learnt that his son was sought by police in the Olorato murder case.

“A multidisciplinary team, led by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection in Gauteng, Major-General Mbuso Khumalo, SAPS National Anti-kidnapping Task Team, KZN and Gauteng Provincial Investigating Unit (PIU), have now cleared Ngubane following a thorough interview and preliminary investigation,” she said.

Mathe said according to a preliminary report, Fezile washes cars for a living and lives in the same neighbourhood as the dead Philangenkosi Makhanya.

“Makhanya allegedly identified Ngubane as a soft target and took his ID smart card and used it to Rica SIM cards that Makhanya would use to commit his long list of kidnapping and robbery crimes targeted at young women. At times, it’s alleged he would use Ngubane’s bank card to buy at various clothing stores,” she said.

Mathe said Fezile’s ID was found among the 27 ID smart cards found in possession of the deceased.

“The SAPS has also released the parents of one of the two suspects in the case after their statements were taken down. Police are sitting with at least twenty cases where women have come forward, identifying the suspects as those who kidnapped and robbed them.

“Some of these cases were reported in Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein, Midrand, Ogies and Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, Pretoria and Joburg,” she said.

Mathe stated that the search for Bongani Mthimkulu is ongoing, and once again, police are urging Bongani to surrender at the nearest police station.