Johannesburg - A 33-year-old man handed himself over to the police in Swartkops for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend’s 6-year-old son, Thabang Klaas, in Gqeberha.
The child’s body was found on Monday on a footpath in the bushes between Mathys Grounds and Wells Estate in Swartkops.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu
said the suspect is alleged to have removed the child from his grandmother’s house in New Brighton and taken him to the bushes, where he allegedly strangled him and dumped his body.
The suspect is believed to have murdered the boy as revenge against his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of the boy.
The suspect is currently in police custody facing a murder charge.
Further investigations are under way and the suspect is expected to appear in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The Eastern Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mene, extended her condolences to the family of the deceased child and emphasised the importance of protecting children from abuse and violence at the hands of those they look up to and emulate as role models.
“The protection of our children is everyone’s business and responsibility and the police urge the community to report any suspected child abuse or neglect. Children trust those who they know, thereby making them vulnerable to child abusers and murderers. I urge the communities to be the voice to the voiceless and let us stop the abuse and brutal attacks on our children,” said Mene.
IOL