Two young men arrested for murder of 15-year-old girl

Two men have been arrested after the discovery of a 15-year-old girl’s body in Mpumalanga last week.

According to the provincial South African Police Service (Saps), the victim’s body was found next to a dilapidated and unfinished house at Goede Section in Nelspruit on Friday morning.

“The police as well as paramedics were informed about the incident and upon arrival, a half-naked [body] with silver plastic around her private parts was found.

“She was certified dead by the medical personnel at the scene,” Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said in a statement.

Rape cannot be ruled out

Mohlala said preliminary investigations resulted in two men, aged 18 and 19, being arrested by the police a day after the body was discovered.

The first suspect was nabbed around 10am on Saturday, while the second was arrested four hours later.

The two men were charged with murder after appearing at the Balfour Magistrate’s Court on Monday. 

The men could face an additional charge of rape.

“As the probe continues, it cannot be ruled out she might have possibly been raped, however an autopsy will be conducted as part of the investigation,” Mohlala added.

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Mpumalanga police commissioner Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has condemned the brutal killing of the 15-year-old girl.

“This is a very shameful incident seeing that we just had 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children. We were looking forward to having zero such incidents.

“We hope that the law will take its course and justice be served for the innocent and murdered girl, ” Manamela said.

Pupil raped and strangled to death

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has confirmed the death of a grade 7 pupil from Echibini Junior Secondary School in Soshanguve.

The girl was raped and strangled on Sunday.

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According to the department, the perpetrator allegedly entered the girl’s home in Soshanguve by climbing through a window, and reportedly raped and strangled her,” said the department.

It is alleged that the girl’s parents were sleeping in another room, and only realised what took place in the morning when they tried to wake her.

Additional reporting Vhahangwele Nemakonde