“The recent killing of a young woman and injuring her brother while hitch-hiking on the road should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. This represents absolute cruelty and heartlessness and it happens when the country is hard at work to bring an end to gender based violence.”
This is the reaction of Ms Gabisile Shabalala, the MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison following the death of a 24-year-old woman in a violent manner last week.
It is reported that the woman and her 21-year-old brother were hitch-hiking on the R555 (Old Ogies Road) on Monday, November 25.
According to police the siblings were coming back from a job interview in Gauteng on that day and the taxi they were travelling in dropped them off in eMalahleni where they had to get other transport to take them to Carolina.
Preliminary information suggests that a minibus came and offered them a lift.
“It is alleged that along the way the men in the minibus produced firearms as they were robbing the two of their personal belongings before the minibus went into the opposite direction towards Gauteng,” said Mr Moeti Mmusi from the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison.
The suspects apparently assaulted the victims before dropping them off at different points not far from each other while the minibus was still in motion.
They were however spotted by a passer-by who immediately called for help.
The two were found in a critical condition by medical personnel who attended to the scene; they were rushed to hospital for urgent medical attention.
The woman later succumbed and passed away on that day in hospital due to the severity of the injuries and her brother survived the ordeal.
Police are investigating a case of murder as well as attempted murder.
The MEC has called on anyone with information that could assist the police in bringing the suspects to book to contact their nearest police station.
