Two more suspects have been arrested in the high-profile murder case of Mboneli Vesele, the bodyguard of University of Fort Hare Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhele Buhlungu, bringing the total number of arrests to 12.
Bafana Chiliza and Nkosiyazi “Dipopoz” Maphumulo were apprehended on June 21, 2025, in Zakariyya Park, Johannesburg, in connection with Vesele’s assassination, which took place on January 6, 2023, outside Buhlungu’s residence in Alice, Eastern Cape.
The suspects face charges related to the murder, and are allegedly linked to broader investigations into corruption, intimidation, and violent criminal networks operating within and around the University of Fort Hare.
Authorities have confirmed that a third suspect, Siphiwo “Spijojo” Jejane, remains at large, and efforts to apprehend him are ongoing.
The case continues to highlight the dangerous intersection of organised crime and institutional corruption in South Africa’s higher education sector.
