Ekurhuleni murders: Possible love triangle emerges as two suspects appear in court
A third suspect arrested in connection with the case was not enrolled because police did not have sufficient evidence to place the matter before court.
Preliminary findings suggest that the murder of Jabulile Ntimba in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni, may be linked to a possible love triangle involving a romantic dispute, according to Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili. The 9th woman to be found dead in the East Rand since July this year was Ntimba, who was discovered partially clothed on September 17, 2026.
Three individuals - a man and two women - have been arrested in Gauteng in connection with her death. Speaking outside Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Monday, Mosikili confirmed that detectives had identified a possible relationship-related motive in the investigation, but declined to disclose further information to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing case.
Two suspects, Fortunate Masilela and Tsakane Nester Msithini, appeared in court on charges of premeditated murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. They remain in custody until their next appearance on October 1, 2026, when their bail applications will be heard. A third suspect was not enrolled due to insufficient evidence.
Mosikili acknowledged speculation regarding a serial killer operating in Ekurhuleni, but stated that the police were unaware of such a theory and were actively working to connect the dots among the various murder cases. The investigation has involved analysts, detectives, and other specialists assessing information from the different murder scenes.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
