Rustenburg - Two more men have been arrested in connection with the murder of the mayor of Collins Chabane local municipality, Moses Maluleke.
They are charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Avhatakali Isaac Mudau, 36, and Wisani Baloyi, 36, were arrested on Friday, and they appeared in Malamulele Magistrate's Court on Monday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
“The matter is adjourned to August 25, 2022, for legal representatives of accused person Wiseman Baloyi. Both accused will remain in custody,” said NPA spokesperson in the Limpopo division, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi.
Maluleke, 56, was gunned down at his home on July 21, his 18-year-old son was also shot and wounded during the attack.
According to the police, three gunmen entered his home, allegedly demanded money from him and his son, when they refused the gunmen shot them, killing Maluleke and injuring his son.
Police initially arrested three people, but the third man was released after he could not be linked to the incident.
Two other accused in this case, Shumani Nemadodzi and Avhatakali Mulaudzi, abandoned their bail application in the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court last week. The case against them was postponed to September 19 for investigation.
The SABC News reported that Maluleke who was also an ANC deputy secretary in the Vhembe district, was the first mayor to be killed in office in the province.
The Pretoria News reported that some politicians believed it was a political killing due to Maluleke’s hard-handed approach in the awarding of tenders within the municipality.
Collins Chabane local municipality was established after the August 2016 local elections by the merging of portions of two local municipalities: Thulamela and Makhado.
The municipality was named after South African Public Service and Administration Minister Collins Chabane, who was killed in a road accident on March 15 in 2015 when a truck made a U-turn in front of Chabane's car on the N1 near Polokwane.
IOL