Johannesburg - One of the Durban Deep community members who found Tshegofatso Pule’s body said he felt connected to the case because he was one of the people who found her stabbed body hanging from a tree.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika outside the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court on Wednesday morning, Tshepo Bodibe relived making the grim discovery.
“When we found Tshegofatso hanging from a tree, I am one of the group of people who made a post on Facebook trying to find the family and thankfully we achieved our goal,” he said.
Bodibe called for justice to be served in the matter.
“This whole case has been playing in our heads and it triggered a lot of things and emotions. I am a father and I wouldn’t want this to happen to my daughter,” he said.
A 31-year-old man, who was arrested in connection to the heavily pregnant Pule's death, was expected to appear in court on Wednesday afternoon.
She was found hanging from a tree not far from Florida Lake. She was stabbed multiple times.
She was reportedly last seen alive while getting into a metered taxi which her boyfriend had summoned for her two weeks ago.
Police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza said on Wednesday morning that the man was travelling from Mpumalanga when he was arrested in Gauteng on Monday.
Outside court, journalists and Roodepoort community members braved the cold waiting for the suspect who is allegedly expected to appear at 2pm. Police vehicles, including nyalas, were also stationed outside the court as well as public order police.
Mike Motaung, Ward 84 chairperson for the EFF in Roodepoort, said he was outside the court on behalf of his ward to call for an end to women's abuse and femicide.
“We are here to support the family, we are here to make sure that justice takes place. We know it is at early stages but as the EFF our message is clear. No bail for the perpetrator,” he said.
@Chulu_M