Third suspect arrested in Inxiweni Primary school double murder in Tembisa
A third suspect has been arrested for the brutal murder of principal Ruth Nozibele Tabu and administrative clerk Nobantu Njombini who were shot dead in Tembisa last month.
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Gauteng police have arrested a third suspect in connection with the November 18 double murder at Inxiweni Primary School, where the school principal and an administration clerk were shot and killed.
Inxiweni school principal Ruth Nozibele Tabu, 58, and administrative clerk Nobantu Njombini. 55. who were shot dead inside the school’s administration block last month.
The 39-year-old suspect was arrested on Friday, 19 December 2025, and is expected to appear before the Tembisa Magistrate's Court on Monday, 22 December 2025, facing a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said, “The search is underway for two more suspects who are believed to be the ones who pulled the trigger.”
IOL previously reported that the arrest followed the earlier apprehension of a 26-year-old female employee at the school. She was arrested on the evening of 19 November 2025, a day after the fatal shooting.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the arrest at the time, saying, “On the evening of 19 November 2025, the police arrested a 26-year-old woman in connection to the murder of the school principal and one admin clerk. The suspect, who is also an employee at the school, is expected to appear before the Tembisa Magistrate's Court on (Friday) 21 November 2025, facing a murder charge.”
The deadly shooting occurred on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, at approximately 16:15, when police received a complaint of a double murder at Inxiweni Primary School in Tembisa.
Officers arriving at the scene found two female bodies lying on the ground with gunshot wounds inside the school’s administration block.
At the time, police said the circumstances of the shooting were unclear.
Nevhuhulwi stated, “The circumstances of the shooting are unknown at this stage pending further investigations. The victims have been identified as the principal and the admin clerk of the school.”
The attack sent shockwaves through the Tembisa community and prompted a visit to the school by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Education MEC Matome Chiloane.
The Gauteng Department of Education said the incident happened while staff members were preparing for a meeting scheduled to take place later in the week.
According to the department, colleagues in a nearby office reportedly heard gunshots and hid for safety before discovering the victims. GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said, “It is alleged that the colleagues who were in a nearby office suddenly overheard gunshots. Fearing for their safety, they hid until it seemed safe to come out. When they did, they reportedly found the principal and the administrator lying in the passage of the admin block.”
Emergency services responded to the scene, but both victims were declared dead on arrival. Police launched a full investigation, which has since led to the arrests.
The Department of Education confirmed that psychosocial support teams were deployed to the school to provide counselling and trauma support to learners and staff, while employee wellness officials were made available to assist affected employees.
Reacting to the killings, Chiloane described the shooting as a “senseless and brutal act committed within a school — a place meant to be a sanctuary for teaching and learning.”
IOL News