The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has strongly condemned the brutal murder of a five year-old girl, allegedly by her cousin.
On Tuesday afternoon, police and paramedics received information about the body of a child found in the bushes.
Upon arrival at the scene, they found the lifeless body of the little girl with her throat slit, as well as stab wounds on her upper body.
She was certified dead by the medical personnel on the scene and police have opened a murder case.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the girl left home with her male cousin to a nearby tuck shop to buy some snacks.
However, the cousin returned alone without the little girl, saying that she had gone to play with other children in the neighbourhood.
However, the family was concerned that something could have happened to the child and they began searching for her until they made the gruesome discovery of her body in the nearby bushes. They immediately alerted the authorities.
Police in Bushbuckridge arrested the suspect on the same day and charged him with murder.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Bushbuckrigde Magistrates’ Court soon. Investigations are ongoing. It is not yet clear if the girl was raped or not, and that will form part of the probe.
Manamela urged parents and guardians to be vigilant with their children.
“It is disheartening and disappointing to learn that some family members are found to be the ones allegedly perpetrating crimes against children, whereas they have been entrusted to safeguard them,” she said.