Inkosi Khumalo and Thuthukile were shot and killed in a hail of bullets in October 2023.
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police have arrested a 29-year-old awaiting trial prisoner for the murder of Inkosi Sphamandla Khumalo and his wife, Thuthukile Khumalo.
The man was handcuffed on Thursday, 14 May 2026, by police officers who are members of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT)
Inkosi Khumalo and Thuthukile were shot and killed in a hail of bullets in October 2023.
Shooting
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the suspect was arrested on a warrant of arrest, which was executed on him whilst in custody in Gauteng.
“Inkosi Khumalo, who was the chief of AmaNtungwa, was driving with his wife and their four-year-old old son along the R34 Road in Baltusspruit Nhlazadolo on the morning of 28 October 2023, when they were ambushed by two suspects who allegedly opened fire on them from inside a vehicle.
“The victim’s vehicle veered off the road and came to a halt at a nearby open field. The suspects reportedly got out of their vehicle and followed them as they continued shooting.
“When police arrived at the scene, the four-year-old son was found in a pool of blood, unharmed. His parents were declared dead at the scene,” Netshiunda said.
PKTT
Netshiunda added that the docket was handed over to the PKTT and formed part of the “now famous 121 dockets.”
“Investigations revealed that the suspect was in custody in Gauteng, where he was arrested for the murder of two people, including a police officer, who were shot and killed in Kagiso.
“He was also found in possession of three AK47 assault rifles. Ballistic results matched one of the rifles with the crime scene where Inkosi Khumalo and his wife were killed,” Netshiunda said.
‘121 dockets’
The “121 dockets” refers to a set of politically sensitive case files in KZN, mostly involving assassinations and attempted murders linked to political violence.
These dockets were controversially removed from the PKTT in 2024-2025, sparking allegations of interference, and were later ordered to be returned to the unit for continued investigation.
Court
Netshiunda said that apart from the Kagiso double murder and the murder of Inkosi Khumalo and his wife, the suspect is also linked with murders in Richards Bay and other parts of the country.
The suspect will appear in the Utrecht Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 15 May 2026, on two counts of murder and attempted murder.
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