ZWELISHA – In the first week of Women’s Month, local residents were shocked after a young woman’s body was discovered in a hole.
She had numerous stab wounds all over her body and even to her private parts.
The knife allegedly used to stab her was also found lying next to her lifeless body.
Mpumalanga News learnt that the 29-year-old woman allegedly went out with her friends to a tavern at night. On their way home they were chased by thugs, and she was caught.
It’s alleged that the men had raped her before they started stabbing her all over and threw her body into the hole.
One of the neighbours said he had heard the victim calling his name around 01:00.
He went outside to investigate and could not see anyone.
It’s alleged that the suspects had covered the mouth of the woman so that she couldn’t scream or continue calling her neighbours.
Spokesperson for the local police, Lt Jabu Ndubane, confirmed the incident.
“When we arrived at the scene we discovered the body of a woman with stab wounds all over the body and a knife next to her. We believe that she was raped before she was murdered,” she explained.
Two suspects aged 21 and 24 have been arrested in connection with this matter. “One of the suspects, who was initially arrested for a robbery on July 31, confessed to the murder while being interrogated by police and added that he was in a company of his friend from Barberton.
Police then acted on this information and successfully arrested the second suspect in Barberton,” continued Ndubane.
He also alluded that such incidents where a woman is killed brutally are very rare in this area. The crime was also condemned by the Nguni Cluster of the Mothers’ Union in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is a structure that stands against women and child abuse in South Africa.
In an interview with this publication, the president of the organisation, Ms Thembsie Mchunu said, “It’s very sad. As a mothers’ representative structure, we condemn violence against women and children.”
Mchunu could not finish the interview with this reporter as she was too emotional.