Limpopo ‘prophet’ arrested for alleged murder and rape of mother and daughter

A Limpopo mother, who with her daughter, was allegedly raped and killed, was able to talk about her murderer minutes before she took her last breath.

The information enabled police to quickly trace and nab the suspect minutes after fleeing the scene.

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The woman, Teiwa Hellen Malepe, 37, of The Oaks village outside Hoedspruit in the Sekororo area, had allegedly invited the self-styled prophet to perform rituals at her house.

The incident took place just after midnight on 30 December 2023.

The 35-year-old “prophet”, Mothupi Tau Talana, who allegedly comes from Sekhukhune in the Burgersfort area, had visited his alleged lover in the village when the incident occurred.

“We heard the excruciating cries of a woman from the house,” Malepe’s younger brother, Thabang Malepe, told The Citizen yesterday.

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“When we got there, my sister was in a moribund state. Her body was soaked in a pool of blood.

“We took her to the nearest healthcare centre for medical help.

“But, unfortunately, she took her last breath minutes after explaining what had happened.”

“My sister had received some cash from her stockvel payout during the festive season.

“But she had deposited the money into her daughter, Kgaugelo Michelle Malepe’s, bank account.

“Kgaugelo was a second-year student at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria.

“The money was to help her with tuition fees, accommodation and other logistics,” Thabang Malepe said during a court appearance at the Lenyenye Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

“Before my sister took her last breath, she said the prophet had demanded payment before he even begun performing the rituals.

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“When she refused, he allegedly produced a panga and allegedly slit her throat in full view of her daughter and her five-year-old son, Kgotlelelo Malepe.

“And as if that was not enough, he allegedly locked the son in another room and covered his mouth with Sellotape.

“That was not all. He went on to allegedly rape and stab her in the body and chest before fleeing the scene, believing that he had killed her.

“But little did he know that my sister was still alive,” he said.

Police confirmed they found the lifeless body of a 20-year-old, Kgaugelo Malepe, half-naked in the sitting room.

During Talana’s court appearance at Lenyenye Magistrate’s Court yesterday, mayor of the Maruleng municipality, Tsheko Musolwa condemned the incident.

“Maruleng is not only a friendly town, but a tourist destination of choice for local, national and international tourists.

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“Our sisters and mothers must be treated with great care, not only because they are beautiful, but because they are human beings who deserve to live happily without any fear of being raped or killed.

“We must fight with everything we have to love and protect them because they are our shining stars.

“Those who torment them, torture them, rape them and kill them must just know we will do everything in our powers to ensure they are locked up behind bars and throw the keys away,” Musolwa told the assembled crowd.

Talana was remanded in custody. He will appear again in the Hoedspruit Magistrate’s Court on 15 January to face two counts of murder and rape.