Polokwane – A 32-year-old man is due to appear in the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on Monday following his arrest in connection with the murder of his 53-year-old wife.
Her body was found buried in a shallow grave inside their shack at Nwadzekudzeku village in the Giyani policing area, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo said.
"The couple was reportedly staying together in the area. The local residents apparently became curious when they noticed that there were no movements in the yard for the entire day on Wednesday 6 January 2021.
“This after the couple was allegedly heard arguing the previous evening at around 21:30," Limpopo SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said in a statement on Saturday.
"On Thursday morning (January 7), they then decided to check what was going on and on entering the premises, traces of bloodstains were allegedly seen through the window of the house.
“Some of community members were met by (an) unpleasant smell coming from a shack that has been erected in front of the house.
“They then decided to forcefully open the door of the shack after their calls went unanswered and discovered the shallow grave," Mojapelo said.
Police were immediately called to the scene and the body of a 53-year-old woman was exhumed from the shallow grave that had been dug inside the shack. A manhunt was launched and the suspect was arrested on Friday afternoon.
The deceased was reportedly from Kwamashu in KwaZulu-Natal and her identity could not be divulged as her family was still being traced. The motive for the murder was unknown at this stage but domestic violence could not be ruled out, Mojapelo said.
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba strongly condemned the incident as "one of the horrendous crimes perpetrated against women".
“The arrest of this suspect and the actions that were taken by the local residents are commendable and should send a clear message that perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide will not have any place to hide.
"We therefore urge our communities to continue working with the police by reporting crimes that take place in their localities,” Ledwaba said.
The suspect, who was arrested after he handed himself over to the police in Malamulele, will face a charge of murder. The police investigation was continuing, Mojapelo said.
African News Agency (ANA)