Family claims insurance motive in murder of Limpopo nurse Morudi Phetla
The family of 64-year-old Morudi Frank Phetla, a respected nurse found murdered beneath the Mabintana Bridge, suspects his wife and two accomplices killed him for insurance money
Image: Supplied
The family of Limpopo nurse Morudi Frank Phetla believes he was murdered for an insurance payout.
The 64-year-old was found dead under the Mabintana Bridge in March.
Phetla was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday, March 15, around 7 pm, just as he was about to enter his yard in the Zamane section of Jane Furse.
According to Limpopo police, his vehicle was later discovered idling with its headlights on, but he was nowhere to be found.
Two days after his disappearance, on March 17, 2025, Phetla's body was discovered around 6.30 am by a shepherd under the Mabintana Bridge.
Police said Phetla had sustained fatal head injuries.
Three people have been arrested in connection with Phetla's murder, among them is his 60-year-old wife.
Speaking to IOL News, Phetla’s brother, Joseph Phetla, said the family became suspicious of Rosina Phetla, Morudi’s wife, after she allegedly attempted to cash in on his insurance policies shortly after his death.
“Immediately after we heard that my brother had died, she was already talking about claiming insurance payouts,” Joseph said.
“She called the insurance companies, but they asked her why she wanted to claim the money when he was not buried.”
According to Joseph, Rosina told insurance companies that her husband had died and asked to begin the claims process, but she was told they could not proceed until the legal process was complete.
“She never received any money,” he said.
“We were told that she would only get the money after the case was resolved. If not, they won’t release the money because it looks like he was brutally murdered.”
Just days after Morudi Phetla’s body was discovered, his wife allegedly began inquiring about insurance payouts, sparking suspicion and leading to arrests.
Image: File
The police confirmed that a 60-year-old woman, identified as Rosina Phetla, and two other suspects had been arrested in connection with the murder on Monday, May 5.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspects were arrested during a joint operation by the Jane Furse Tracking Team and the Provincial Organised Crime Unit in Gauteng.
The intelligence-driven operation targeted areas in Ekurhuleni, Kempton Park, and Tembisa.
A 49-year-old woman was arrested at an estate in Kempton Park, while a 42-year-old man was taken into custody in Tembisa.
The team later traveled to Jane Furse, where Rosina was arrested.
Ledwaba confirmed that all three suspects are facing charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, and murder.
He said the motive remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, Joseph said the family still does not know how much money Rosina was expecting to claim, but her immediate attempts to contact insurance companies raised red flags.
“We don’t know the exact amount, but we were told she approached insurance companies like Old Mutual, Metropolitan, and Sanlam,” he said.
“What made us suspicious was her rush to check how much she could claim.”
According to Joseph, the family was initially not to bury the nurse right away, warning that someone close to the family could be arrested during the funeral.
“At the time, we were told that the person they were looking for wasn’t far from the family,” he said.
Morudi Frank Phetla was eventually buried on Saturday, March 29.
Joseph described his brother as a peaceful, caring man who avoided conflicts and was always ready to offer or receive advice.
The man who was working as a professional nurse at the Jane Furse Hospital was set to retire in December this year.
The family now says they feel some relief following the arrests and are hopeful that justice will prevail.
“We just want the law to take its course,” Joseph told IOL News.
“What happened to my brother still haunts us as a family, including his four sons. Seeing Rosina, a woman we saw as a family member, in chains, cuffed, and accused of being involved in his murder…that shocked us to the core.”
He added that the suspects’ connection to Rosina remains unclear.
“We don’t know how she knew them, maybe they were colleagues, but if indeed they killed him, they need to tell us who gave them the right to do so.”
The suspects appeared in the Nebo Magistrate’s Court this week.
They are expected to apply for bail on May 14, 2025.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL News