WATCH: Police arrest suspect for Hillary Gardee murder

Police say the breakthrough was made on Friday during the final hours of the 72-hour deadline given to the investigating team to arrest the killers. 

Gardee, who is the daughter of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee, went missing while shopping in Nelspruit. 

Her body was found in bushes outside the city a few days later with the Gardee family later confirming she was shot in the head.

Mpumalanga police commissioner Semakaleng Daphney Manamela addressed the media after meeting with the Gardee family on Friday evening to confirm the developments.

The suspect was arrested at Schoemansdal in Nkomazi.

“We were using different evidence, different experts that were there with the gathering of information. Everything that we did, lead us in the position to say this is the correct suspect for our case," Manamela said.

The identity of the suspect will only be revealed during a first court appearance in Nelspruit on Monday.

However, she did confirm that he is between the age of 30 and 40.

Manamela said investigations are continuing. 

“Up until such time that we are not speculating, we will be divulging. We will give more information when we are ready.”

Although police are not suspecting the involvement of a syndicate, more arrests could be made. 

“The family is upset. The family is in pain and while we were gathering the information it was very painful to come to the family when you did not have the concrete information. So, today we came because we are ready now. We know we are in the right direction," Manamela explained.

Hillary Gardee will be laid to rest in Mbombela on Saturday.