Adivhaho Mulamavu (11), who was killed a week ago, was laid to rest at the Ramantsha cemetery on Sunday, 22 September.
The Grade 6 learner from Munau Primary School went missing on Sunday, 15 September. Her body was discovered by passers-by in a maize field in Ramantsha the following day, and it is believed she had been raped before being killed.
The Speaker of the Thulamela Municipality, Fhulufhelo Mutheiwana, said the only way for the police to catch the killers was for residents to provide the police with information. "Fighting crime is not the duty of the police alone, but a collective task of both the police and the community. If you want to see the police make a breakthrough in this case, give them information," she said.
The principal of Munau Primary School, Mr Peter Nematandani, urged residents to assist the family in covering the funeral costs. He also reached out to businesspeople for support.
Upon hearing the tragic news of Adivhaho's death, businessman Mr Kaizer Marindi of Marindi Funerals offered to sponsor the funeral costs. "There is a false narrative out there suggesting that we, as businesspeople, are successful because of [our] using human body parts. Our people should know that you don't need body parts to be rich, and our businesses are not prospering because we use muti. No, we are working very hard. I was born into a poor family, so I know the pain of not having," he said.