A WIFE allegedly killed her husband, chopped him up and stuffed the body parts in a suitcase and handbag so she could destroy them.
But the wife, Tatenda Mhlanga, was stopped by crime wardens on Sunday, 12 November on the way to a dumping site.
How she was bust
Upon noticing a foul smell coming from the suitcase, the crime wardens demanded to search it.
But Tatenda, who is a Zimbabwean national, fled and left an innocent neighbour behind who she asked to help her push the suitcase.
The crime wardens from Wattville, Benoni opened the suitcase and were shocked by what they saw. The neighbour was arrested, while Tatenda handed herself over on Monday, 13 November.
But it's not clear when the husband, who was identified as Brighton Mhlanga, was killed.
Neighbours shed some light
Daily Sun visited the place where the couple had been renting for four years to get a better explanation of what happened from the landlord and neighbours. The residents also took Daily Sun to the dumping site.
The neighbours and landlord said they last saw Brighton alive on Thursday, 9 November.
According to the landlord, Cyprin Dlamini, Tatenda asked Uber to fetch her along with her luggage on Friday morning. But it wasn't clear what was inside the suitcase.
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"We hear she allegedly asked the driver to leave her near the railway line in Actonville, Benoni with the suitcase," said a neighbour.
On Sunday, Tatenda requested for an Uber again.
"We are told the driver refused to take her because of the foul smell and liquid coming from the suitcase. And that's when she asked a neighbour who was passing by to help her," said a neighbour.
Cops arrest an 'innocent' man
A neighbour said they are worried that the police arrested the wrong person.
"This boy was merely trying to help pull her heavy 'luggage'. That evil woman might pin everything on him, while the neighbour didn't know what was inside," said a neighbour.
Residents have vowed to protest outside court for the release of the neighbour.
"That boy is helpful to everyone and is respectful. He was just lied to by a woman who told him the suitcase had cow skop and meat she was taking to her family in Zimbabwe," said another neighbour.
A neighbour said the boy is mentally challenged and worked at a shop in Actonville as a packer.
"He got the job because the shopkeeper felt pity for him and gave him a job as he saw a hardworking and dedicated person," said a neighbour.
They said the boy was on his way to work when the woman asked him to help her push the suitcase.
The police step in
Police spokeswoman Captain Nelda Sekgobela Sekgobela said they received a call from the crime wardens.
"The police proceeded to the scene where they found the wardens. They pointed out a purple luggage bag on the ground and informed them that there are body parts inside. When the police opened the bag, they notice a human head and other chopped off body parts.
"The wardens alleged that they were patrolling and noticed a man and woman walking. The man was pulling a luggage bag that looked heavy. They asked them what was inside the bag and the man responded by saying there is intloko ye nkomo (a cow's head) and when the wardens start searching the bag, the woman ran away. They chases her, but they could not catch her," said Sekgobela.
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She said the wardens then arrested the man.
Sekgobela said the police were taken to another scene (dumping site), which is almost 30 metres away, where legs, arms and other body parts were burned.
She said Tatenda, who was on the run, handed herself over on Monday and appeared in the Benoni Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 14 November together with the neighbour.
She will make a second appearance next week.
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