Just under four years after convicted serial killer Bulelani Mabhayi was sentenced to life imprisonment, peace in the small village community of Toleni near Butterworth has been shattered by another gruesome murder.
The head and arms of 19-year-old Nandipha Mtuzula were found yesterday after weeks of searching for her.
A local shepherd has been arrested for murder.
Nandipha was last seen on May 13 on her way to attend Saturday classes for matric pupils at Cunningham Senior Secondary School in Toleni.
Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha confirmed that Mtuzula’s body was found in a shallow grave along a river bank in a forest.
“We had been searching around the clock. There were many people who said they saw her in several places but those leads were fruitless. Police investigations led us to arresting the suspect on Tuesday,” Manatha said.
Nandipha’s father, Thamsanqa Mtuzula, said the family was distraught.
“The police came here this morning and they told us that they were still looking for the rest of her body.
“We are all very shocked,” he said.
Nandipha was one of three children and her siblings, aged 15 and 22, had not yet been told about the gruesome discovery.
“Her mother is not taking it well at all. She is just crying and I am trying to be strong,” the father said.
“Initially, when the search began, we were hoping that she would be found alive. However, as time went by that hope diminished and we just prayed we would find her.”
Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga described the crime as “senseless”.
“It must be emphasised that the safety of women and children is a top priority for the Eastern Cape police,” Ntshinga said.
“The non-stop investigation of such cases is in line with our back-to-basics policing approach, which requires effici-ent and responsive investigation of crime using all the resources at our disposal to ensure that offenders are brought to book.”
The suspect cannot be named until he has made a formal court appearance.
Cunningham school principal Fundiswa Makhwabe said the school staff and pupils were all struggling to come to terms with the news of Nandipha’s murder.
“This is very shocking and traumatising for the pupils because a lot of them walk in that area on their way to school.
“What is strange is that police had searched that area before, even with dogs, but her body was never previously found, so maybe she was dumped there recently.
“It is exam time and unfortunately we cannot just send everyone home, but we are all in a state of shock,” Makhwabe said.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that state forensic pathologists had been called to the scene to collect a head.
New fear in village of death as missing teen’s head and arms found buried
The head and arms of 19-year-old Nandipha Mtuzula were found yesterday after weeks of searching for her.
A local shepherd has been arrested for murder.
Nandipha was last seen on May 13 on her way to attend Saturday classes for matric pupils at Cunningham Senior Secondary School in Toleni.
Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha confirmed that Mtuzula’s body was found in a shallow grave along a river bank in a forest.
“We had been searching around the clock. There were many people who said they saw her in several places but those leads were fruitless. Police investigations led us to arresting the suspect on Tuesday,” Manatha said.
Nandipha’s father, Thamsanqa Mtuzula, said the family was distraught.
“The police came here this morning and they told us that they were still looking for the rest of her body.
“We are all very shocked,” he said.
Nandipha was one of three children and her siblings, aged 15 and 22, had not yet been told about the gruesome discovery.
“Her mother is not taking it well at all. She is just crying and I am trying to be strong,” the father said.
“Initially, when the search began, we were hoping that she would be found alive. However, as time went by that hope diminished and we just prayed we would find her.”
Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga described the crime as “senseless”.
“It must be emphasised that the safety of women and children is a top priority for the Eastern Cape police,” Ntshinga said.
“The non-stop investigation of such cases is in line with our back-to-basics policing approach, which requires effici-ent and responsive investigation of crime using all the resources at our disposal to ensure that offenders are brought to book.”
The suspect cannot be named until he has made a formal court appearance.
Cunningham school principal Fundiswa Makhwabe said the school staff and pupils were all struggling to come to terms with the news of Nandipha’s murder.
“This is very shocking and traumatising for the pupils because a lot of them walk in that area on their way to school.
“What is strange is that police had searched that area before, even with dogs, but her body was never previously found, so maybe she was dumped there recently.
“It is exam time and unfortunately we cannot just send everyone home, but we are all in a state of shock,” Makhwabe said.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that state forensic pathologists had been called to the scene to collect a head.
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