Two grade 12 girls hacked to death and dismembered on KZN south coast

02 August 2022 - 10:17
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The provincial department of social development on Tuesday said a man in his 20s was arrested for the killings. Stock photo.
The provincial department of social development on Tuesday said a man in his 20s was arrested for the killings. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/rawpixel

Two grade 12 girls were hacked to death before their bodies were dismembered on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.

The provincial department of social development on Tuesday said a man in his 20s, who was apprehended for the killings, tried to evade arrest by jumping into a river. He was later located and arrested.

“Two school girls were allegedly attacked with an axe while in their rented house in Ngwangwane village, Ward 8 Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality, southern KwaZulu-Natal. It is alleged that a man in his 20s came into the rented house in the early hours, hacked the girls to death and dismembered their bodies. 

“One girl's body was left in the house, while the second was found five kilometres away from the scene,” the department said.

Police arrested the man on Sunday afternoon.

“He was taken to the scene on Monday afternoon to point out where he dumped the body of another girl. However, during the process, he jumped into the river and swam across in an attempt to evade arrest. Police had to call for back-up from the dog unit, who traced the suspect and caught him hiding at a St Johns Apostolic Faith Mission church house.”

Social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza said the attack was abhorrent and a reflection of the worst form of criminality and decline of morals.

“It is very painful that we start Women's Month with such a horrific incident. We find solace that law enforcement agencies quickly arrested the suspect, even though he tried to evade justice. That police did not sleep when the suspect jumped into the river should bring much confidence to the community that he will be sentenced and serve jail time,” she said.

Khoza said those involved in such atrocities did not deserve to stay among peace-loving people.

She said the continued murder of defenceless women and children was the worst form of criminality, decline of humanity, morality and ubuntu.

We cannot continue like this as a society when we wake up with such horrible crimes daily. These crimes set us backward as this democratic government.
MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza

“It should be totally rejected and denounced in the strongest possible terms. We cannot continue like this as a society when we wake up with such horrible crimes daily. These crimes set us backward as this democratic government.”

The department’s team would provide psychosocial support to the victims' families and pupils and teachers at the girls' school.

Ward 8 councillor Mthobisi Dlamini said the community was devastated.

“We are so shocked by this and the community wanted to take the law into their own hands but we managed to calm them. We are pleased that the father of the suspect had played a role in ensuring that his son got arrested.”

He said many schoolchildren from neighbouring wards and municipalities rented houses in the area to be close to schools.

“We have never experienced such a horrific incident. We never slept since this incident happened because we were worried that the criminals would strike again. However, the fact that police arrested this man made us happy. We could not sleep yesterday when he escaped. We are happy too that the body of the other child was finally found in the early hours of this morning.”

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