She lay in the hole for eight years, naked, her hands bound with duct tape, hidden from the world.
And the body of Pretoria constable Francis Rasuge may have never been discovered if her boyfriend ‘s property had not been sold.
Her family were informed on Monday that the remains dug up a week ago at the property of Rasuge’s ex-boyfriend, William Nkuna, in Temba, were hers.
Despite the missing body, Nkuna was nailed by other evidence and found guilty of murder.
After the property was sold, contractors dug a deep hole in the garden and found bones.
Lieutenant Colonel Frans van der Merwe, of the SAPS crime scene management national processing team, said ground-penetrating radar was used to uncover the remains.
“After receiving information about the discovery of bones, the radar was used and an indication of ground disturbance in a specific area was discovered. With the use of a K9 search and rescue dog we were able to locate the skeleton, which was found buried almost intact with duct tape found close by under two separate concrete slabs.”
Police said forensic science laboratories had confirmed the identity of the skeletal remains through DNA analysis.
Police had previously searched a garage on the property after getting information that she could have been buried beneath it.
Rasuge was last seen alive at a hair salon in Temba, Hammanskraal, on August 27, 2004, soon after she had left her parents’ home in Temba.
She was with Nkuna.
Independent Newspapers unintentionally broke the news to the family two hours after the police had issued a statement on Monday confirming the discovery.
The news team had gone to the Rasuge home for comment, not knowing that the police had not yet informed the family about what they had found. When the team arrived at the house, the family were shocked to learn the news from the media.
The family broke down in tears. Rasuge’s sister Mamikie was comforted by her daughter, Nkagiseng. “Mom, please don’t cry. You have been looking for her for so long. Just think that she is in peace now,” said Nkagiseng.
After calming down, Mamikie lashed out at the police. “This was supposed to have been done procedurally. They were supposed to send the relevant people to inform us first,” she said.
When the police were asked why the family were not informed before the media, spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale said that as far as she understood, an officer from the Temba police station had gone to inform the family.
“A colonel at the station confirmed with me that the family had been informed before I released the statement,” Mogale said.
Earlier on Tuesday Rasuge’s brother Edward told 567 CapeTalk radio: “To be honest with you, we were very hurt.
“Immediately, when someone reported about the human bones at the house, we believe they should have come to us and said this is what we have, we are going to search and then they will come back to us.”
Rasuge said journalists showed him an e-mail from the police on Monday stating that a DNA test had confirmed that the remains discovered at a house in Temba, outside Pretoria, were those of his sister.
He Rasuge told the radio station he did not really know her killer, William Nkuna.
“I'm not the kind of guy who would intervene in my sister's affairs.”
However, he had been affected by Nkuna's denial of the murder.
“I cried to hear him telling lies, showing no remorse for what he did, denying everything that he's done.”
Rasuge's remains are to be returned to her family so she can be laid to rest. - The Star and Sapa