In the close-knit streets of Naledi, the Sekano family is trapped in a nightmare that refuses to end. Their son, Thabo Sekano, a young man described by his family as humble and full of promise, left home on Friday night for a simple visit to a friend in Chiawelo. He never returned.
By Saturday morning, the family’s desperate search for answers had culminated in the worst possible outcome. Thabo’s lifeless body had been discovered near an informal settlement in Lenasia South, dumped like rubbish after a brutal hijacking that has left a community reeling and a family pleading for justice.
Speaking to Jozi FM News through tear-choked voices, the Sekano family has now made a public appeal to the residents of Soweto and beyond: help us find the monsters who took our son.
“This is not just a statistic. This is our child,” said a grief-stricken family member, who wished to remain anonymous. “We are shattered. We need the community to open their eyes and tell us what they saw.”
The Final Moments: A Friend’s Harrowing Account
The last person to see Thabo alive was his friend, who was with him on the fateful Friday night. The friend, still visibly traumatized by the events, has provided police with a detailed account of the terrifying minutes that led to Thabo’s disappearance.
According to his statement, the two men were seated inside a vehicle parked outside the friend’s residence in Chiawelo. The night was quiet, and the conversation was light. Then, two unknown males walked past them.
Thabo, according to his friend, had an uneasy feeling. He reportedly voiced his concern to his friend, saying he hoped the two men were not “looking for trouble.” It was a premonition that would prove tragically accurate.
The two men continued walking for a few meters before stopping. In an instant, they turned around and allegedly produced firearms from their clothing, rushing back towards the vehicle.
“The friend said they didn’t even think,” a police source close to the investigation explained. “It was pure survival instinct. They opened the doors and ran in different directions.”
The friend managed to escape, ducking into the darkness and hiding behind neighboring houses. After a few moments of terrifying silence, he crept back to the scene. The vehicle was gone. Thabo Sekano was nowhere to be found.
A Body in Lenasia
Panic set in immediately. The friend raised the alarm, and together with neighbors and eventually the Sekano family, a frantic search began. Hours passed with no word, no sign of Thabo, and no trace of the vehicle.
The grim confirmation came the following day. Police discovered a body near an informal settlement in Lenasia South, an area on the southern fringe of Johannesburg. The body was positively identified as Thabo Sekano. He had been murdered.
While police have not yet released the cause of death, awaiting a full post-mortem report, the family is haunted by the brutality of the act. The vehicle, a yet-to-be-specified model, remains missing, suggesting the motive was a hijacking that spiraled into fatal violence.
A Family’s Plea and a Community’s Role
The Sekano family is now relying on the age-old strength of the Soweto community: its eyes and ears. They believe that someone, somewhere, must have seen something.
“We are appealing to everyone,” the family member pleaded. “Maybe you saw the car driving erratically. Maybe you heard something in Lenasia that night. Maybe you know someone who suddenly has a new car they can’t explain. Please, don’t keep quiet.”
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has officially opened cases of murder and car hijacking. Detectives are following up on leads, but they have acknowledged that community assistance is crucial in solving crimes of this nature, where witnesses are often afraid to come forward.
The Pain of Uncertainty
For the Sekano family, the days ahead will be filled with funeral arrangements and the slow, painful process of grieving. But layered on top of that grief is a burning need for answers and accountability.
“We want justice,” the family member said firmly. “We want the people who did this to be found. They didn’t just kill Thabo; they killed a part of all of us. They left a body in the dirt like an animal. They must face the law.”
Anyone with information regarding the hijacking and murder of Thabo Sekano is urged to contact their nearest police station or call the Crime Stop Hotline on 08600 10111. Callers may remain anonymous.
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