Key Points
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A 27-year-old Zimbabwean man faces six murder charges for the Soshanguve attack.
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Six patrollers were killed in the ambush, with several others injured.
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The case has been postponed to April 1 for further investigation.
A 27-year-old Zimbabwean national appeared in Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges for his role in a violent attack in Soshanguve.
The suspect, who has not been named, faces six counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The attack occurred in the early hours of March 22, 2025, in the Marry Me informal settlement.
A group of 12 patrollers was ambushed by five men, one armed with a gun.
According to Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the attackers shot one of the patrollers, and then assaulted others with rocks and wooden poles. They also set the victims on fire.
Six victims killed, others injured
Four victims died on the scene, and two more died later in the hospital. This raised the death toll to six, including five men and one woman.
Five others, four men and one woman suffered injuries. The suspect was arrested two days later, on March 24, for possessing unlicensed firearms, and ammunition, and being in the country illegally. During an ID parade, witnesses identified him as one of the attackers.
Case postponed as investigation continues
The court postponed the case until April 1, 2025, to combine it with the firearms case. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.
The suspect faces serious charges in connection with the brutal attack on the patrollers.
