The body of Siphosihle Xawuka, 10, was found in bush near her house by a hunter, police said yesterday.
Mdantsane police spokesman Lieutenant Nkosikho Mzuku said Siphosihle’s body was found about 500m north of her home by the hunter and his dogs at 3pm yesterday.
As police emerged from thick bush with her body on an orange stretcher, her grandfather John Xawuka, 83, murmured: “It is done.”
Residents broke into church songs while others cried as the stretcher-bearers carried the body to the mortuary van.
The hunter Mzwandile Qondani, 55, told the Daily Dispatch: “The police left at 1pm and I was not at peace with myself, so I decided to go into the bush to look for her with my three dogs.
“After two hours, my dogs went into thick bush and never came out. I found the dogs around the body. I called a ward committee member who called the police.”
Family were seen being interviewed by detectives in a car at the scene, and Mzuku said a murder charge would be added to that of kidnapping.
Mzuku said the 25-year-old suspect would face charges at his first court appearance in the Mdantsane Magistrates’ Court today.
The discovery of Siphosihle’s body, barefoot and in a sleeveless white nightdress with the print of a dog on the front, came after days of drama.
Yesterday, police intensified their search for Siphosihle who had gone missing on Sunday morning.
Siphosihle went missing during her guardian Zoleka Ncedani’s all-nighter 50th party on Sunday morning.
Police started working with the suspect soon afterwards, and based on information, yesterday launched an even bigger search with 30 officers from different units including the mounted unit, K-9 search and rescue, crime prevention, air wing and tactical response teams (TRT).
A police chopper circled above the bush. On the ground police dogs and officers on horseback and on foot combed the bush behind the girl’s backyard for more than five hours.
Later on the suspect was fetched from the police cells to come to the area. About 100m from him a crowd of 300 community members bayed for the suspect’s blood.
Police surrounded the suspect to guard him from possible attack.
After the walkabout the suspect was then taken to a police van that quickly sped from the scene.
Ward 50 committee member Temba Mtandu said they were relieved.
“It has been four days of hell for both the family and residents. The police put a lot of resources into the search and we are grateful.
“We would like to advise residents to look after their children especially at night because the world is no longer a safe place to live in.”
Grandfather Xawuka said the family accepted the situation.
“We will wait for the police to hand over the body so we can bury her with dignity. We will be strong.”
Mzuku said at the scene half of Mdantsane’s police task team, including their commanders, took part in the search.
Earlier Mzuku said: “Today we have used different searching techniques with the hope of finding the missing girl.”
Siphosihle was a Grade 5 pupil at Phumelelani Higher Primary School. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Body of missing girl found in bush near home
Mdantsane police spokesman Lieutenant Nkosikho Mzuku said Siphosihle’s body was found about 500m north of her home by the hunter and his dogs at 3pm yesterday.
As police emerged from thick bush with her body on an orange stretcher, her grandfather John Xawuka, 83, murmured: “It is done.”
Residents broke into church songs while others cried as the stretcher-bearers carried the body to the mortuary van.
The hunter Mzwandile Qondani, 55, told the Daily Dispatch: “The police left at 1pm and I was not at peace with myself, so I decided to go into the bush to look for her with my three dogs.
“After two hours, my dogs went into thick bush and never came out. I found the dogs around the body. I called a ward committee member who called the police.”
Family were seen being interviewed by detectives in a car at the scene, and Mzuku said a murder charge would be added to that of kidnapping.
Mzuku said the 25-year-old suspect would face charges at his first court appearance in the Mdantsane Magistrates’ Court today.
The discovery of Siphosihle’s body, barefoot and in a sleeveless white nightdress with the print of a dog on the front, came after days of drama.
Yesterday, police intensified their search for Siphosihle who had gone missing on Sunday morning.
Siphosihle went missing during her guardian Zoleka Ncedani’s all-nighter 50th party on Sunday morning.
Police started working with the suspect soon afterwards, and based on information, yesterday launched an even bigger search with 30 officers from different units including the mounted unit, K-9 search and rescue, crime prevention, air wing and tactical response teams (TRT).
A police chopper circled above the bush. On the ground police dogs and officers on horseback and on foot combed the bush behind the girl’s backyard for more than five hours.
Later on the suspect was fetched from the police cells to come to the area. About 100m from him a crowd of 300 community members bayed for the suspect’s blood.
Police surrounded the suspect to guard him from possible attack.
After the walkabout the suspect was then taken to a police van that quickly sped from the scene.
Ward 50 committee member Temba Mtandu said they were relieved.
“It has been four days of hell for both the family and residents. The police put a lot of resources into the search and we are grateful.
“We would like to advise residents to look after their children especially at night because the world is no longer a safe place to live in.”
Grandfather Xawuka said the family accepted the situation.
“We will wait for the police to hand over the body so we can bury her with dignity. We will be strong.”
Mzuku said at the scene half of Mdantsane’s police task team, including their commanders, took part in the search.
Earlier Mzuku said: “Today we have used different searching techniques with the hope of finding the missing girl.”
Siphosihle was a Grade 5 pupil at Phumelelani Higher Primary School. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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