The family of University of Johannesburg (UJ) student Palesa Madiba, whose remains were found two years after she went missing, will finally find closure – six years down the line.

On Wednesday, police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini confirmed to News24 a 36-year-old man had been arrested in connection with her murder. 

Madiba’s alleged killer was arrested in Protea, Soweto, on Monday and appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court the following day. 

He is expected back in court on August 7 awaiting a High Court date. 

News24 understands the suspect was allegedly in hiding in Protea after he had learned the police were looking for him. The man, who cannot be identified at this stage, was thought to be close to Madiba.

Madiba was born in Diepkloof, Soweto, on November 7, 1992.

She enrolled for a Bachelor of Commerce degree in accounting at UJ in 2011 and went missing on August 9, 2013.

Madiba had spent the weekend at a friend Tshidi Mkwanazi’s house in Phiri and was expected home in Diepkloof on the Monday evening.

Her remains were found in a shallow grave at Mkhwanazi’s home on December 16, 2015, after the police received an anonymous tip-off.

Mkhwanazi claimed she had last seen Madiba on August 12, 2013, when she left in the morning to go to work. She said she left her with her uncle who was in her home at the time. The uncle was taken in for questioning by the police but was later released.

According to reports, he had taken out a restraining order against Madiba’s family, claiming the family was harassing him about their daughter’s whereabouts.

Attempts to get comment from Mkhwanazi were unsuccessful.