Rustenburg – A 61-year-old woman and her five-year-old granddaughter were gruesomely murdered in Ganalaagte, near Delareyville, North West, police said on Sunday.
Spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane said the incident was reported at New Stands Section in Ganalaagte.
"It is alleged that on Saturday, January 29, 2022, at about 6.36am, Mmatiro Clementine Dithato, 61, had a telephone conversation with her 21-year-old son. The deceased allegedly told her son not to come home any more as they were supposed to go to town that morning and they were not going any more," he said.
“A few moments thereafter, the son allegedly received a text message from his mother’s phone informing him that he can come and collect money at about 9am. At about 9.22am, the son went to his mom’s house only to find that the sitting room’s window pane was broken,” Tselanyane said.
“Upon entering the house, he allegedly found his mother’s lifeless body with multiple stab wounds and a rope around her neck lying in a pool of blood in the sitting room’s floor. Furthermore, the five-year-old girl’s body was found drowned head first in a big bucket full of water in the kitchen."
The son called for help and the deceased were transported to a local clinic where they were both declared dead on arrival.
"The motive for this attack is currently not known and no arrest has been made as yet."
Captain Sam Tselanyane said North West provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, had stressed the police in the province would not be deterred in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide.
"He urged the communities to continue working with the police in their endeavours to fight this pandemic. He concluded that the police will not rest until perpetrator/s of this heinous act are brought to book."
He said investigation into the matter continued and police had requested that anyone who may have information regarding this incident to contact the police. Anonymous tip-offs can also be communicated via My SAPS Application. All information received will be treated with strict confidentiality.
IOL