A 35-year-old man, identified as Siyabonga Japhta Dhlamini, was brutally murdered after an altercation with a drinking companion following a birthday celebration in Waterloo, KwaZulu-Natal.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), paramedics Neel Nunkumar and Siya Mthethwa responded to a call for medical assistance at the corner of Pumpkin Crescent and Prickly Pear Road on Saturday afternoon. Dhlamini was discovered lying on the roadside and was pronounced deceased at 13:26.
Witnesses at the scene informed Reaction Officers that Dhlamini had been consuming alcohol at a nearby tavern during a birthday party before leaving with a drinking buddy. An argument reportedly broke out between the two, leading to the suspect stabbing Dhlamini once in the left chest.
Reaction Officers were dispatched after paramedics confirmed Dhlamini’s death. The suspect fled the scene and is currently being sought by authorities.
Sensitive images and body cam footage have been withheld out of respect for the deceased and his family.
