A social media post about a woman with pink hair whose lifeless body was discovered in a sugar cane field confirmed an Eastern Cape family's worst fears two weeks ago.
Security company Reaction Unit of South Africa (RUSA) posted about a body they found when they responded to a call for assistance from a farmer in Canelands, north of Durban, on July 17 after he saw a body protruding from a bush while out on patrol.
RUSA said the body of an unidentified female was found lying face up with her hands bound. She had pink hair.
It was this post which led the family of Inama Tshakeni, 20, a trainee fixed-wing pilot at Virginia airport, to end a weeklong search when they identified her body at the morgue.
Ndabenhle Majola, 36, made a brief appearance in the Durban magistrate's court on Tuesday in connection with her kidnapping and murder. He was arrested the day before.
Mthembeni Mbhele, 37, who shared a flat with Tshakeni in Clare Estate, said he received a call from her mother on July 14 while he was at work, asking about her daughter's whereabouts.
“I told security to check up on her. But when I eventually got back home I discovered she had left her phone on top of the fridge and had also left her keys.
His last encounter with Tshakeni had been shortly after 9pm on July 13 when she had gone to meet friends at the gate.
He said her death had taken a heavy toll on him as he had known her for two-and-a-half years.
“It’s very painful because it’s something one never imagined. These are the things we read about in newspapers. When I look at her room I still think I will see her, but it’s never going to happen,” said Mbhele.
Tshakeni's family, who packed the public gallery, said they want to see justice being served.
Spokesperson Vuyani Tshakeni said: “We have been robbed of a young life who held promise. She had big dreams of one day becoming a pilot.”
State prosecutor Calvin Govender said the state was opposed to Majola being granted bail, as he faced serious crimes.
Govender told the court Majola is alleged to have kidnapped Tshakeni from a tavern in Reservoir Hills. A police source said they have video footage which documents Tshakeni's movements before her death.
KZN police spokesperson Const Thenjiswa Ngcobo said police in Verulam were investigating a case of murder after a body of a woman was allegedly found in Canelands farm in Verulam on July 16.
Ngcobo said the body had injuries that looked like assault wounds.
Magistrate Sicelo Zuma adjourned the case to August 7 for a bail hearing.
