News24.com | 'I don't believe the chief was killed for rhino poaching' - Mnisi royal family spokesperson

Chief Clyde Mnisi at his inauguration in October 2022.

• The Mnisi royal family's spokesperson doesn't believe that the murder of their chief was linked to his upcoming rhino poaching trial.
• The royal family says the murder of their chief, Clyde Mnisi, has shattered the entire Bushbuckridge community.
• The chief was expected to stand trial in connection with rhino poaching allegations.

The Mnisi royal family's spokesperson says he doesn't believe that the murder of their chief, Clyde Mnisi, was linked to rhino poaching.

Royal family spokesperson Charles Mnisi said they were well aware that he was expected to stand trial in the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela later this month for money laundering, fraud and poaching-related allegations.

He was gunned down on 26 March, along Airport Road in White River and his 30-year-old widow, Charlene Felicity Mathews, died on 4 April when she was shot twice in her head at their marital home.

How safe is your neighbourhood? Find out by using News24's CrimeCheck

"I don't believe the chief was killed for rhino poaching. I don't want to speculate. Let us allow the police to do their work," the spokesperson said.

"It is well known that he was arrested for rhino poaching. I have no evidence that he was a rhino poacher. I saw him growing up into a businessman from being a diesel mechanic, a livestock farmer and a taxi owner," he added.

He said he knew that the chief had been arrested and released on bail.

"I [also] knew he was expected to stand trial in the [Mpumalanga] High Court this month."

However, he pointed out: 

Mnisi added that the murders had severely affected the royal family.

"This has taken too much energy from us. We are exhausted. We were supposed to be resting after working hard, laying to rest our chief. The decisions we were about to take would have involved his wife.

"We needed enough time to find out what happened and what she knew about the demise. She leaves [behind] four young children. The eldest is 10, and the youngest is suckling. She was a harmless soul," he added.

"I lived with the couple. I knew who Mathews was. She didn't deserve the way she was murdered. We don't know why. We hope justice will prevail," he said.

READ | Mnisi family deny claims murders of chief, his widow linked

He added that he was pleased with the police's handling of the case.

"That means the police will increase their capabilities to find where the truth lies. We are again planning another funeral for our leader."

Commenting on the couple's young children, Mnisi said they were traumatised and lost.

"Their father left them in the care of their mother. Instantly, they don't have a mother."

The youngest, he said, cried and looked for her mother.

"One of her children ran downstairs to see her mother covered with blood. It was not a good sight for that child. We must deal with the attention and intervention the children need. One saw the mother's dead body with bullet wounds to her head. That was horrible.

"We are calling on the police to prioritise this case. It is no longer a local matter. It needs the national commissioner's intervention. The entire Bushbuckridge and neighbouring areas are shocked. Our chief was colossal."

ALSO READ | Murdered chief's links to murky world of rhino poaching

The spokesperson said their leader invested his energy in wildlife. 

"He wanted wildlife to enrich his community. He was busy reclaiming part of his land. He wanted to see the big five in his area. The Manyeleti land claim is through. He was waiting for the title deed. He had plans to benefit his people at Manyeleti.

"He wanted government projects to run swiftly without disturbance. He wanted the government to bring resources to his land. He wanted to attract investors. We don't know who will succeed him. I am not a candidate. I don't know who will take the throne," he said.

"I am shattered. He was the chief of chiefs. He was paramount. Other chiefs looked at and trusted him," he added.

The royal house was also shattered, he added.

"They have lost their colossal. He was always alert. I don't know of any stage where his life was threatened. He would often remind us to be vigilant when we were in his company," he said.