Police in Limpopo have launched a manhunt for a 25-year-old man following the fatal stabbing of his 21-year-old girlfriend in what is believed to be a case of gender-based violence and femicide.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, December 21, at around 5am in Mapuve village outside Giyani in the Mopani District.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said officers responded to a report of a murder at a homestead in the village.
“Upon arrival, police were approached by the owner of the homestead, an elderly man, who led them to a hut where the deceased woman was found lying in a pool of blood,” said Ledwaba.
He said the woman had sustained multiple stab wounds to her upper body. The hut belonged to the homeowner’s son, who was not at the scene when police arrived.
Police suspect a domestic dispute preceded the attack, as the deceased and the suspect were in a relationship and shared a child.
Ledwaba added that the suspect fled the scene before police arrived, leaving his cellphone behind. A sharp object believed to have been used in the attack was also recovered from a room near the couple’s bedroom.
Emergency Medical Services personnel were summoned to the scene and declared the woman dead. A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
Police investigations are continuing, and a manhunt for the suspect is under way.
The Star