16/08/2024
Solly Zitha the infamous Acornhoek cattle thief and murderer has died following a mob justice today.
(He once hacked an SABC Journalist's mother to death with a shovel in December 2009)
By Riot Hlatshwayo
0712982807
KA-ZITHA: The feared cattle thief and murderer from Ka-Sgagula near Acornhoek was stoned to death earlier today (2024/08/15).
Solly Zitha whose age is unknown to Rio-Jab Media was attacked at Ka-Zitha during an argument with locals over a subcontract.
It is alleged that a local Counselor assited Zitha to be awarded a subcontract for the construction of a bridge in the area.
When the locals complained that he was a renowned criminal and did not stay in the area therefore his eligibility to get work in the area was null and void he allegedly threatened to kill them.
Zitha was allegedly in the company of the Counselor (whose name is known to us) when the arguments started.
"This man was so full of himself, he had the guts to threaten members of the local community promising to kill them just like he had always killed others before," a source told Rio-Jab Media.
"His mistake was that he believed that everyone was too afraid of him but this time around he had met his match, he was stoned and assaulted with several other objects," the source added.
When Acornhoek police arrived at the scene they found Zitha alive and alone but bleeding profusely.
"He had been tied but no other person was found at the scene," said Mpumalanga Provincial Police Spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdluli a short while ago.
Mdluli said Zitha's family arrived and drove him to Tintswalo Hospital in a vehicle that did not belong to the State.
Zitha succumbed to his injuries at the hospital a while later.
Rio-Jab Media understands that the police cornered the Counselor and searched his car before going away with him.
We could not independently establish or comprehend the bearing around these allegations.
Meanwhile Zitha was arrested more than 30 times in his life mostly for stealing cattle.
Of note, Zitha hacked 73-year-old Vhamia Mfukwa Hlabangwane to death with a shovel on December 23, 2009.
The old and respected woman was the mother of SABC -Munghana Lonene FM Journalist, Lillian Hlabangwane.
Zitha attacked Gogo Hlabangwane after she came to his homestead at KaSgagula Village to fetch her cattle that he had stolen.
Zitha was infamous for threatening people with death whenever they came to collect their cattle and for that everbody was afraid of him.
He seemed to be having a serious network connection with the law enforcement agencies because his cases usually did not go anywhere despite evidence being available.
It was only the no nonsense Senior Magistrate Rodgers Ritshuri who had the guts to stand up against Zitha in the Mhala magistrate's court.
During February 2010, Ritshuri ordered that Zitha's bail be revoked after another magistrate had granted it under mysterious circumstances on a murder case.
Zitha spent some years behind bars sometimes between 2010 and 2020 for both stock theft and murder.
After his release from prison he started his nasty games again especially that of allegedly stealing people's cattle and killing others.
Rio-Jab Media reached out to our colleague, Lillian Hlabangwane and broke the news about Zitha's death to her earlier today.
She was very shocked and speechless but did mention, albeit off the record, that "God is the one who fights for everyone".
Many people who read our first story about Zitha's death earlier commented with happiness with some saying he killed many people and cattle. Ends. Rio-Jab Media
CAPTION: The crime scene where Solly Zitha was stoned to death.
