Bontle Mashiyane murder: Angry community members torch houses of suspects

Angry community members have allegedly set alight houses belonging to the suspects in the Bontle Mashiyane murder case on Monday.

According to Newzroom Afrika, despite the family’s plea to the community to calm down and allow police investigations to continue, some of the suspects in the case have lost their homes.

Community members allegedly set alight a house belonging to a traditional healer alleged to be involved in the murder.

Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said while he had seen reports of the houses been set alight on social media, the police were still gathering more information on the matter.

The three suspects in the Bontle murder case appeared before Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing four charges of kidnapping, human trafficking, rape and murder.

Collen Hlongwane, 36, Thapelo Ngomane, 25, and Ntombi Mgwenya, 40, were remanded in custody until 24 June 2022, as they applied for legal aid assistance. They abandoned their bail bid. Their next appearance will be held at Masoyi Periodical Court.

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Six-year-old Bontle, from Mganduzweni in Masoyi near White River, went missing on Saturday, 30 April 2022 at about 11am, after she was last seen playing with other children nearby.

“Later it was discovered that she disappeared without a trace. Her family then grew concerned after failed attempts to find her and they reported the matter to the police at Masoyi on the same Saturday. She was reported as missing,” said Mohlala in a statement.

The investigation team was led to a scene where her decomposed body was found not far from her homestead (about 2km from her residence).

According to Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, who visited the distraught family at the weekend, Bontle was raped and stabbed, and her skull was found without eyes, ears and a tongue.

Mtsweni-Tsipane said she was devastated by the little girl’s murder, especially because her alleged killers lived next door to their family home.

“We are saddened by what is happening within our community, the child has been murdered by a neighbour and her boyfriend. The perpetrators are next-door neighbours to the victim’s family, the victim used to go play with their 10-year-old.

“I stand here defeated today to know that the mastermind behind the killing of this child is a woman, a person who is expected to care, nourish children is the one who orchestrated this gruesome murder,” she said.

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde. Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe.