Passerby initially thought Karabo’s body was a burned mannequin

A Lyndhurst resident said he was walking through a veld on the morning of April 29 when he saw what he thought was a burned mannequin.

But it turned out to be Karabo Mokoena, a 22-year-old woman who was allegedly killed and burned by her boyfriend.

Floyd Kekana said he was walking towards Bramley just before 7am when he saw charred feet in the veld on 1^st Avenue.

“I assumed it was a burned mannequin as people use the place as an illegal dumping spot and often burn their rubbish. I only saw the bottom half of the body as the top half was burned tyres and the head wasn’t visible,” he said.

When he arrived at his friend’s place a few houses away from the scene, he alerted him of the bizarre sight.

“We went back and confirmed it was a body. We called the police at around 7am but they didn’t arrive. We then left the scene and, when we returned around noon, we found the police there.

“They didn’t take my statement but took a statement from my friend as he lived closest to the scene,” he said.

He said he only realised it was Mokoena when, on Thursday, he saw media at the veld where he first saw the burned body.

According to police, Mokoena was discovered by a security guard.

Mokoena was reported missing on April 28 and her body was found the following day in Lyndhurst.

Her boyfriend, Sandile Mantsoe, was arrested on Thursday. Mokoena’s uncle, Tshepo, said on Facebook that Mantsoe had confessed to killing and burning her body.

Her uncle said he necklaced her by soaking her with petrol and put a tyre around her neck before setting her alight.

The 27-year-old accused appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on Friday, facing charges of premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.

His matter was postponed to May 24 while he will remain in custody at the Norwood police station.

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