Cape Town - Police have made two arrests for the murder of a Steenberg teen whose body was found dumped on an open field in the area a week ago.
Tashneecka Prins, 17, was last seen a day before her body was found near the corners of Symphony and Sand Olive Road last Sunday morning.
The teen’s grandmother, Anne Gordon, urged people to come forward with information after the high school learner’s body was positively identified by one of her family members at the scene.
Gordon told the Cape Argus that her granddaughter was found lying face-down in the sand, her body covered with two dirty mats.
Initially, the dead girl’s family could not believe that the body discovered on the field was that of the missing teen due to her facial wounds.
“She had a huge gash on her forehead and her mouth, her face was almost unrecognisable with all the blood, it looked like she was assaulted.
“But her clothing was the giveaway,” Gordon said.
She further urged the community to come forward with information.
Nearly a week after her murder, police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed the arrests of the two suspects.
“Two suspects aged 20 and 25 were arrested in connection with the murder of the female victim,” Twigg explained.
The two, who cannot be named as they are yet to go on an identity parade, appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. Their case was postponed to November 17.
Both the accused were remanded in custody.
Steenberg Community Policing Forum chairperson Gavin Walbrugh says while they are happy about the quick arrests, they are still concerned about the level of violence.
“It's still very upsetting that another young person had to lose their life unnecessarily; it shouldn't be like that. We just hope that justice be served because no one deserves to die such an undignified death,” he said.
Walbrugh also appealed to the community to not share such scenes on social media, after residents shared pictures of the crime scene on social platforms.
“Being at that scene last Sunday morning and witnessing how many families came out because of posts made on social media caused more chaos.
“Social media in such a case is not good; there were pictures already floating around while the SAPS wasn’t even on the scene.
“Imagine the type of trauma the affected family had to go through – their daughter’s body wasn’t even identified and everyone had pictures. Also, you are contaminating the scene by walking up to the body... please stop this,” he said.