Story By: Lee Bullen,Sub Editor: Joseph Golder,Agency: Central European News
South African cops have arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with the killing of a young girl and her mum as the president condemned the “surge in murders of women and children” during the latest COVID-19 lockdown phase.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said: “The 27-year-old female had multiple stab wounds in her body while the child was found on the bathroom floor.”
The bodies of the mother and the seven-year-old girl were found in a rented house in Belhar, a suburb of Cape Town in the South African province of Western Cape.
Local media identified the victims as Altecia Kortjie and her daughter Raynecia who lived in Leiden in the Netherlands.
The pair went missing on Tuesday last week after visiting someone in Belhar, according to reports.
Local media said their bodies were found in a house that belongs to a resident called Jerome Booysen who told reporters the property is currently being rented out.
The police said that a 28-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the deaths and is expected to appear before a judge on murder charges today (15th June).
On 13th June, President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the “surge in murders of women and children”.
He added: “According to the SAPS (police), there has been an increase in violent crime, especially murders, since we entered (COVID-19) alert level 3.
“We need to understand what factors are fuelling this terrible trend and, as society as a whole, address them urgently.”
On 12th June, the body of a young woman was found under a tree in Dobsonville in Soweto.
Her murder followed the death of eight-months-pregnant Tshegofatso Pule, who was reportedly stabbed and found hanged from a tree in a field in Roodepoort last week.
Last weekend, Naledi Phangindawo, 25, was hacked to death by a man with an axe and a knife, according to reports.
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