Woman, 86, robbed and stabbed to death in Mpumalanga old-age home

An 86-year-old woman was fatally stabbed in an old-age home in Mpumalanga. File picture: Supplied

An 86-year-old woman was fatally stabbed in an old-age home in Mpumalanga. File picture: Supplied

Published Feb 2, 2021

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Pretoria – The SAPS in Mpumalanga has launched a manhunt for the killers of an 86-year-old woman. She was murdered at an old-age home in Witbank.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the “shocking” incident was believed to have taken place on Sunday evening.

“Police as well as the medical personnel were notified about this incident detailing that a female pensioner was a victim. Upon arrival at the place, the old woman's motionless body was found with multiple stab wounds. (She) was, unfortunately, certified dead by the paramedics at the scene,” said Hlathi.

Preliminary police investigations have revealed the deceased woman’s vehicle, a white Honda Jazz, was among her belongings stolen.

“The victim seemed to have been held hostage and was then stabbed by her assailant(s) before fleeing the scene with the stolen items. Police followed up on information which led to the recovery of the said vehicle, which was left abandoned at Krugersdorp, in Gauteng, in the early hours of (Monday),” said Hlathi.

“The person(s) who are responsible for this heinous crime are still sought and a clarion call has been made to the public to assist with information that can lead to their arrest.”

Last year, the Mpumalanga High Court, sitting in Delmas, sentenced a Mpumalanga man to 30 years for murder, rape and robbery.

At the time, police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said Thabiso Mogoe was found guilty of killing his girlfriend, Zanele Mthimunye, in 2019.

“According to the sequence of events, on September 14, 2019, Mogoe killed Mthimunye, who was his girlfriend at the time, and tried to cover his evil deeds by hiding her body in a steel box at their place of residence.”

Mdhluli said that after the murder, Mogoe went into hiding, leaving Mthimunye’s young children and family wondering about her sudden disappearance.

African News Agency (ANA)