The hitman who shot and killed a Gauteng businessman who blew the whistle on corruption in the provincial government has been arrested in Mtubatuba in northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Minenhle Mthembu (30) killed Marumo Eric Phenya (pictured) in October 2022 in Rooderport IN Gauteng and fled.
A collaborative effort between police in Gauteng and KZN provinces has resulted in the arrest of 30-year-old Minehle Mthembu, who was wanted for conspiracy to commit murder as well as the murder of Marumo Eric Phenya, a businessman and whistle-blower on corruption in a multi-million rand tender at a government department in Gauteng province.
Phenya was ambushed and killed in a hail of bullets after dropping his children at school in Roodepoort on 17 October 2022.
Prior to his death, he and his wife had received threatening messages, and a case was opened in that regard. A few weeks after the case was opened, Phenya was assassinated.
Police in Gauteng contacted their KwaZulu-Natal counterparts with information that the suspect was in KwaZulu-Natal. The management of police in KwaZulu-Natal immediately assembled a multidisciplinary team and on 6 February 2026, the team gathered intelligence that the suspect was hiding in Mtubatuba, north of KZN.
An operation was set in motion, and on 10 February 2026, a warrant of arrest was executed, and Mthembu was arrested in Mtubatuba.
He appeared briefly in the Mtubatuba Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 12 February 2026, before being handed over to Gauteng investigating officers, who have taken him to Gauteng to face his crimes.
The Provincial Commissioner of KZN, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, applauded the effective collaboration between police in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, which brought the suspect to justice and relief to the family of the murdered whistle-blower.
“KwaZulu-Natal province is not a hiding place for criminals. We appeal to community members not to harbour criminals but to tip off the police so we can rid society of dangerous offenders. This collaboration is a message to criminals: police will find you even if you flee to another province. There is nowhere to hide from the mighty arm of the law,” said
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
