A fifth suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of emergency medical services worker Braam Krüger in Pretoria, in what investigators believe may be linked to a Grindr gang syndicate.
MambaOnline has learned from a source close to the investigation that Steven Johnson, 32, had evaded police and private investigators for months before his arrest last week in Pietermaritzburg. He is alleged to be the leader of the syndicate.
Suspect Faces Murder and Robbery Charges
According to Netwerk24, Johnson appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court on charges including robbery with a weapon other than a firearm, kidnapping, theft and extortion. He also faces a charge of murder committed with common purpose.
Authorities have linked Johnson to three other cases under investigation, including one that allegedly followed a similar modus operandi to Krüger’s attack.
The four other suspects previously arrested in the case – Ntando Zondi (36), Siphoshile Xulu (22), Mpendulo Nyembe (27) and Sphesihle Mbambo (24) – were due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on 29 July.
However, authorities were unable to transport three of the suspects, who remain in custody in connection with other cases in KwaZulu-Natal, to Pretoria in time for the hearing.
All five suspects, including Johnson, are now expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates Court on 14 August.
Braam Krüger Lured to Pretoria Guest House
Krüger was murdered at a guest house in the Pretoria suburb of Brooklyn on 2 April.
Investigators allege that the 40-year-old was lured to the venue, where five men attacked and robbed him of his cellphone and cash.
The suspects reportedly left the guest house using an e-hailing service. Shortly afterwards, staff discovered Krüger’s body tied up in one of the rooms, which showed signs of a struggle.
Reports indicate that Krüger may have been targeted through a dating app, believed to be Grindr.
Continued Concern Over Grindr Gang Attacks
While Grindr is not the only platform exploited by criminals, it remains the dating app most commonly linked to an epidemic of attacks targeting LGBTQ+ men in South Africa over the past decade.
Survivors often hesitate to report these crimes because of shame, stigma or fear of being outed — vulnerabilities that criminal gangs continue to exploit.
Guest houses have become one of the most common locations used by so-called Grindr gangs to lure and target victims.
In March, MambaOnline reported on a case in which a 43-year-old man was lured to a guest house in Randburg, Johannesburg, where five men allegedly attacked and robbed him.
In another deadly case, businessman Kuben Kevin Archary, 43, was found strangled with a rope in a Durban guest house in July 2023.
Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, the trial of seven men accused of kidnapping and brutally assaulting a university student allegedly lured through Grindr in September 2023 continues to unfold amid ongoing delays and postponements.
