The community of Makhanda in the Eastern Cape will on Sunday hold a candlelight service in honour of two young women who were brutally murdered just a week apart, as outrage and grief continue to mount over gender-based violence in the area.
The most recent victim was 16-year-old Linomtha Skeyi, whose body was discovered in an open field in Joza on Christmas Day.
According to police, the teenager had sustained several severe open wounds to her upper body.
Speaking to TimesLIVE, Linomtha’s aunt, Ziyanda Ntlokwana, said the family last saw her alive late on December 23 at her grandmother’s home, where she lived.
“We assumed she had gone to visit a friend. However, the following day she did not return home. We tried calling her phone, which kept ringing, but there was no answer,” Ntlokwana said.
Concerned family members contacted the mother of Linomtha’s friend but were unable to trace her.
“Her phone was still ringing, but there was no response. We became really worried after midday when she still hadn’t returned home,” she said.
Suspecting that something was wrong, the family posted her details on local anti-crime social media platforms. According to Ntlokwana, Linomtha’s friends later came forward and said she had last been seen near a local spaza shop.
“We then went to open a case, but police advised us to first speak to all her friends,” she said.
The following morning, family members and friends conducted a door-to-door search for the teenager.
“We started searching before 8am, and at about 9.10am one of us found her body. It was shocking to see her in that state. We don’t know what happened to her. We suspect she may have been sexually assaulted or that the suspect or suspects were trying to rob her of her cellphone,” Ntlokwana said.
She said community members have reached a breaking point, with residents saying “enough is enough” after the killing of two young women in such a short space of time.
Police spokesperson W/O Majola Nkohli, confirmed that Linomtha’s body was discovered by a resident during a search-and-rescue operation.
“The body had several open wounds to the upper body,” Nkohli said.
Police have urged anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect or suspects to contact their nearest police station.
TimesLIVE
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