Abducted Limpopo EFF member Thobile Skhosana found dead in river

A 40-year-old suspect has arrested for the kidnapping and murder of 26-year-old woman Thobile Venolia Skhosana.

According to Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, Thobile’s body was found in an advance state of decomposition in a river at Khathazweni outside Hlogotlou police area on Thursday morning.

Thobile went missing on Saturday 31 December 2022.

A missing person file was opened at Hlogotlou Police Station, and police investigations revealed that she was last seen at Holnek village in the Zaaiplaas policing area where she was attending an event.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Nebo Magistrate’s Court on Friday, facing charges of kidnapping and murder.

More charges could be added, said Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.

Police investigations continue.

‘Perpetrators must rot in jail’

In a statement on Thursday evening, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Limpopo alleged the perpetrator lured the victim to a nearby bush at Sehlakwane village in Elias Motsoaledi, on 31 December, where he raped her and strangled her to death.

“Fighter Thobile’s lifeless body was found dumped in the early hours of Thursday morning at Sehlakwane village not far from the local sports ground where she was abducted, [allegedly] by the 40-year-old man while attending a New Year’s Eve event,” said the party.

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“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the manifestation of the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide, which continues to rage our province. Women face quadruple challenges of inequality, unemployment, poverty, exacerbated by GBVF, the war that is orchestrated by their own partners or people who are supposed to protect them.

“Police have once again failed us in finding Thobile alive, despite our call on maximum resources to be deployed to help trace the whereabouts of Thobile. The EFF calls on the state to impose the harshest sentence on the perpetrator who robbed us of the life of Thobile. Callous perpetrators must rot in jail.

“The EFF sends its sympathies and condolences to the bereaved family, friends, relatives and fellow fighters of fighter Thobile.”

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Condolences pour in

Meanwhile, those who knew Thobile have taken to social media to share their condolences following the discovery of her body.