The body of a 38-year-old woman who disappeared on 3 December this year was found on the banks of the Mudaswali River late on Tuesday afternoon (13 December).
Livhuwani Rananga was allegedly last seen with one of her relatives while drinking traditional beer at the village. According to one of the family members who spoke on condition of anonymity, the family reported her disappearance to the local headman, the local civic association and opened a missing person's case at the local police station. Community members were summoned and started searching for her.
"Community members have been searching all over the village and in nearby bushes, but to no avail. We were very surprised when she was found at a place where we had already searched. It is clear that the killer or killers dumped her body there," the source said.
Meanwhile, Vhembe District's acting communications spokesperson, sergeant Vuledzani Dathi, said the police had received information about the suspect and started tracing him.
"The police received a tip-off that he was consulting a local prophet for cleansing. They went there and arrested him at the prophet's place. He confessed to killing the deceased and said he hit her with [his] fists until she fell down. When he realised that she was not breathing anymore, he took the body and hid it on the banks of the Mudaswali River. He later led the police to the scene, where they found her body in a decomposing state," Dathi said.
He confirmed that the police had opened a murder case and the suspect would appear in court soon.