Private investigators employed by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), were at the heart of most of the arrests made in connection with the kidnapping and murder of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee's daughter, Hillary Gardee. 

This was the claim made by EFF leader Julius Malema during a press briefing held by the party on Monday afternoon, following a meeting of its central command team over the weekend. 

Malema praised the private investigators saying it was through them that breakthroughs in the investigations happened, leading to the swift arrests. 

Philemon Lukhele, 47, Sipho Lawrence Mkhatshwa, 39, and Albert Mduduzi Gama, 52 are accused in relation to Gardee's murder. They face charges of murder, rape, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and conspiracy to commit murder.

"We [the EFF] are involved in the investigation, and we have employed private investigators. A majority of the people who are arrested were arrested through the private investigators' intervention," said Malema. 

He added that one of the accused was incarcerated after the private investigators got wind that the accused needed money sent to his account to enable him to flee. 

According to Malema, the accused requested an amount of R500 000, and having discovered this; the investigators alerted the police leading to the arrest. 

The EFF leader also said because of the private investigators, his party and the Gardee family were now able to piece together what transpired. 

Malema said, "The only missing puzzle in the whole thing is how she got captured.

"We now know... when she arrived at the lodge, what happened there, all manner of things. But what remains outstanding is what happened from the shops leading [up] to how she got captured and who captured her."

"This detail is still missing, and that is what we are on top of. The police are doing everything in their power, working with us, making sure that we bring this matter into finality," said Malema. 

Hillary Gardee went missing on 29 April. She was last seen at Nelspruit Plaza Super Spar in the central business district with her three-year-old adopted child. 

The search for the missing Hillary Gardee ended in tragedy when her body was found in bushes near the Sabie/Lydenburg Road (R40) days after she went missing. 

The EFF leader said there might have been more to her killing than gender-based violence. He went on to pay tribute to Hillary Gardee, saying she was a daughter of the liberation struggle, saying:

"Hillary is a daughter of the liberation struggle. Her father volunteered to be a liberation soldier against apartheid and colonialism. When many people were collaborating with the ruling class here in SA, Godrich Gardee was being trained as a soldier to fight against apartheid and colonialism."

He continued: "When some were rushing for opportunity, Gardee was sharpening his skills and gaining further education in Nigeria, so that he became a skilled, disciplined, and hard-working servant of the people. 

"Hillary Gardee was murdered by criminals who must be held accountable and must be jailed forever. We as the EFF are actively involved in seeking justice for Hillary Gardee, and we caution the police service and political leaders to not play dirty, dangerous, and opportunistic games on [sic] a sensitive case of murder," said Malema. 

He added that, "... the police must do everything in their power and utilise the most advanced forms of investigations [sic] to find out what happened and who did what [regarding] the disappearance and murder of Hillary Gardee."