Durban - A 34 year-old man from Wakkerstroom, on the border between KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, has been charged with murder after the lifeless body of an SAPS administrative clerk was found in her home.
The 43 year-old clerk was reportedly found at around 8am on Monday morning by her teenage neighbour, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala confirmed.
It is believed that the suspect and the victim were in a relationship.
Mohlala said that the clerk's 13 year-old neighbour found her body in her bedroom. The young man then told an adult who reported it to the police.
Mohlala said the body had signs of strangulation and that there was also blood on the bed where she was found.
Investigations into the murder so far have revealed that the suspect was reportedly last seen with the victim at her home.
“Upon their arrival, she was unfortunately certified dead by the paramedics at the scene. A murder case was then opened and investigated by the police.
“The suspect, aged 34, was arrested and charged with murder and is expected to appear at the Wakkerstroom Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, June 22, facing the said charges. At this stage the motive for the killing is unknown,” he said.
Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela strongly condemned the murder.
"The situation of brutal murders of women by their spouses can never be allowed to carry on like this. We need to put a stop to these and we hope that the law will take its course in dealing with perpetrators" said Manamela.
The latest crime statistics by the SAPS revealed that 6 083 people were murdered in South Africa between January and March 2022. The murder rate of children and women have shot up by 37.2% and 70.5%, respectively.
In the Mpumalanga province, the murder rare increased by 139.6% from April to June, 2022.
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