‘I won’t rest until his killers pay’ – Heartbroken mom travels to KZN after son’s murder case closed

Cape Town – A grieving mother from the Western Cape has travelled to KwaZulu-Natal in search of justice after learning that her son’s murder case had been closed by authorities due to a lack of evidence.

Fifty-five-year-old Kate Mhlonga, from Fish Hoek in Cape Town, arrived at Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) headquarters on Friday morning after landing at King Shaka International Airport at 07:56.

She told RUSA officers that her son, Xolani Innocent Mhlonga (39), was shot multiple times and killed inside his home in Empangeni in November 2024. The fatal attack reportedly occurred around 20:30, shortly after Xolani had returned from work.

“My son was a good man. He worked hard, built his own home, and was finally settling down,” said Mhlonga. “To hear that his case was closed because there was ‘not enough evidence’ broke me. I cannot rest knowing his killers are still free.”

Xolani had recently completed building a house on land he purchased from a local community leader. His mother believes the murder may be linked to the property, after discovering that the previous owner of the same land had also been shot and killed.

“I started asking questions and found out that the man who sold the land to my son was also killed in a similar way,” she said. “That cannot be a coincidence. Something is very wrong.”

Mhlonga said she was informed by the investigating officer last month that the case would be closed because there was insufficient evidence to continue the investigation.

“I was told over the phone that they were closing the file,” she said. “I felt like my son’s life did not matter. I had to come here myself to find out the truth.”

Reaction Unit South Africa confirmed that Mhlonga had visited their Verulam headquarters to seek assistance. “She appeared deeply emotional and determined to find justice for her son,” said a RUSA spokesperson. “We have taken her statement and will assist where possible in directing her to the appropriate authorities.”

Despite her grief, Mhlonga vowed not to give up. “I will not stop until those who killed my son are brought to justice,” she said. “He deserves peace, and so do I.”

Her visit to RUSA marks her latest attempt to uncover answers nearly a year after the brutal killing that shattered her family.