Kimberley - Family members would have celebrated Kerileng Mavis Nyathi Nqozi’s 35th birthday on Monday, instead they are grieving her death.
Her body was found buried in a shallow grave, covered by a piece of carpet, in an open piece of veld near Soul City in Kimberley on Friday. She was reported missing by her husband about three weeks ago.
The 39-year-old man has now been arrested in connection with the death of his wife.
Neighbours of Nqozi gathered at the scene where pathologists exhumed her body. She was found buried in a carry bag not far from her home.
Her body was discovered after an intensive search and intelligence-based investigation involving residents and members of the police on Friday morning.
Just a day before her body was discovered, community members organised a meeting. “We wanted to know what happened to this woman,” councillor for Ward 31, Moses Nhlapo, said after her body was discovered.
“This old quarry (where the body was found) was one of the first areas that we searched after one of the residents saw a man (the suspect) carrying something that could have been a body.
“There was an old carpet lying on the ground and when it was moved, you could see that a hole had been dug there and then filled up again.”
Nhlapo added that the shallow grave was discovered by the investigating officer in the case, Captain Doggy Magugu, whom he praised for his diligent police work.
“Magugu would not rest while he was looking for Kerileng. He was truly committed to this case and must be commended for the excellent work he has done.”
“The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition when she was found, as the grave was a shallow pit. While the autopsy results must still be confirmed, I believe that Kerileng was beaten and strangled to death. She was petite and of slight build.
“The title deed to Kerileng’s house was found in the suspect’s bag as he was trying to wrangle ownership and transfer the property into his name,” Nhlapo said.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana confirmed that Kerileng’s husband has been arrested in connection with her death.
“On April 17 the suspect reported her as a missing person at the Kagisho police station. He told the police that he last saw her on April 13.
“We arrested him shortly after a woman’s body was discovered in a shallow grave.
“The suspect will appear in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (today) on a charge of murder.”
Kerileng’s sister, Maria Nyathi, said she explained to her 10-year-old niece (Kerileng’s daughter) that her mother had run away from home.
“It will be too traumatic for her to deal with her mother’s death. She witnessed how her mother was abused at the hands of the man that she married in February, just three months after they met. Her two-year-old son is still pining for her. Their father passed away and Kerileng was the only one who cared for them.”
Maria added that she had recognised the warning signs and had advised her younger sister that the man suspected of her murder, was not a good match.
“It was obvious that it was not a mutually loving relationship. He hit her the day before they got married and they were constantly fighting. I hid her identity document to prevent the marriage from taking place. I had a bad feeling about the marriage because they hardly knew each other. It appeared as if he wanted to take advantage of her and was set on gaining ownership of the house that was registered in my sister’s name.”
Maria stated that the suspect started renting a room in her sister’s house in November last year after moving to Kimberley from the Eastern Cape.
“I do not even know if he paid the rent, although he did contribute towards the household by buying food for the children. The next thing we knew, they were secretly married without the consent of the rest of the family.
“We knew that he hit her because we saw the blue marks and her swollen eyes. She was a reserved person and was not one to tell us everything, although I assume that she loved him.”
Maria added that she knew that something was amiss when Kerileng failed to return home on April 13.
“My sister never went anywhere without her two-year-old son. Even if she went out at night, she would come back early because she knew her daughter had to go to school the next day.”
She was reported as missing at the police station and family members unsuccessfully searched the hospitals and mortuaries. “We also requested the councillor and the community to assist us in the search.
“We do not know how Kerileng died and are still awaiting the autopsy results.”
Maria indicated that the suspect was the first person to report her missing.
“After my sister went missing, the suspect continued to stay at the house. I immediately went to fetch the children. I think my sister was killed because she refused to allow the suspect to take over her house.”
Soul City Isibindi caregiver, Sariana Kele Nkukane, who regularly visited the home, said that a community member had apparently seen the suspect with a black bag, slung over his shoulder, in the neighbourhood on April 14 between midnight and 1am.
“She greeted him but he carried on walking down the street and never returned her greeting.”
Nkukane said that she had also witnessed how Kerileng was beaten by the suspect, but indicated that Kerileng did not want to leave him.
Nkukane added that the family would decide what would happen to the house as well as who would care for Kerileng’s two young children.
“The children have been robbed of a mother and are now orphans. Kerileng was not in a position to work and did not have a fixed income. She relied on disability and child support grants.”
Nhlapo arranged a memorial service for Kerileng on Sunday.
“We request the community for any kind of assistance for the two children, as they have been left destitute.”
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