A 45-year-old man has appeared in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder following an incident that allegedly occurred earlier this year.

Thabo Mabilane Dibakoane appeared in court on Thursday, 18 December 2025, in connection with a murder reported in the Bushbuckridge area. He was arrested on 16 December 2025 at Alverton Village after police received a tip-off from community members.

The arrest followed a joint operation by the Tubatse SAPS Detective Services and the Bushbuckridge SAPS. According to police investigations, Dibakoane allegedly stabbed the victim with a knife in Shatale, near Bushbuckridge, leading to the victim’s death.

Police confirmed that a murder case had been opened in September 2025, but the suspect had since been evading arrest until his recent apprehension.

Dibakoane has been remanded in custody and is expected to reappear in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on 23 December 2025 for further proceedings.

Police have also acknowledged the role played by community members in providing information that led to the arrest.