Gomolemo Legae was stabbed, set alight while still alive: What you need to know

Gomolemo Legae, from Ramosadi near Mahikeng, was stabbed, doused with petrol and set alight while still alive on Sunday.

Her death has sparked outrage in SA, in the midst of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Here is what you need to know:

Stabbed multiple times

Legae was making her way home when her attacker started following her. 

She was stabbed several times, before being doused with petrol and set alight.

TimesLIVE reported that provincial police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone said she managed to inform members of the community who the suspect was.

Legae was buried on Wednesday.

Case in court

Police have dismissed claims that she was stabbed 25 times.

The 19-year-old suspect, Karabo Bahurutshe, appeared in the Mmabatho magistrate's court on Wednesday, charged with murder and rape.

Bahurutshe, who initially escaped arrest, was handed over to police on Monday afternoon by his brother.

Bahurutshe has been remanded in custody until February 21.

National crisis

In a statement, the EFF said perpetrators of these acts were unlikely to pay for their actions because “the justice system is fraught with inefficiencies”.

“Men, young and old, in South Africa are relentless in their bloodthirsty pursuit and killing spree of women and, up to now, interventions for dealing with violence against women have been superficial, halfhearted and based on the wrong understanding of the root causes of the vulnerability of women,” said EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

“Gomolemo joins a list of thousands of other women who have been raped, maimed, beaten, enslaved, emotionally molested and brutally killed by men in this country.”

Ndlozi expressed condolences to the Legae family, saying he “cannot imagine what it takes to survive such a trauma”.

“We must unite to curb the brutal war men have declared against women in South Africa. Each man ought to ask themselves the crucial question: 'Why do I think I will not rape, abuse and kill women?' And answer honestly.”

Messages of condolences

Here are some of the messages of condolence that have been shared on social media.