By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A KwaZulu-Natal man who confessed to killing his girlfriend in a social media post was found hanging from a tree on Wednesday morning, South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed.
Sibusiso Lawrence Ntaka’s body was found a distance from where he dumped the body of a 25-year-old woman he killed and confessed to the crime.
South African Police Service (SAPS) are currently clearing the scene where his body was found.
SAPS KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said on Tuesday evening, police reacted to allegations of a murder on a gravel road near Malangeni in Umzinto, where the body of a 25-year-old woman was discovered lying in the middle of the road.
Her bloodied body was found with several stab wounds and a broken knife was found next to her body,” Netshiunda said.
“Reports indicate that the suspect fetched the woman, who was his girlfriend, from her home and it is suspected that the two had domestic related altercation which escalated to the murder.”
Netshiunda said the car was discovered abandoned down the road from the woman’s body, with blood on the front passenger seat indicating that he killed the woman inside his vehicle.
“A manhunt was quickly launched and an intensive search by police led to the discovery of the suspect’s body which was hanging on a tree, in what is believed to be a suicide,” Netshiunda said.
“Police are investigating a case of murder, and an inquest docket will also be opened for further investigation.”
The death of the 25 year-old exposes the depth of the scourge of Gender Based Violence in South Africa.
Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga said, the findings of the recently released South African National Gender-Based Violence Prevalence Study: A Baseline Survey on Victimisation and Perpetration, will serve as a guide for immediate action.
The study revealed that about 7 310 389 million women, aged 18 years and older, have experienced physical violence in their lifetime.
The study also examined the perpetration of violence by men against their female partners and the underlying role of gender norms in driving GBV.
The study recommended that The Presidency, working with the Department of Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and civil society, be tasked with the role of convening key stakeholders to consensus building workshops or smaller focused sessions for the purpose of starting a broader dialogue aimed at developing a set of agreed-upon, actionable, evidence-based recommendations that are informed by the study results for the country.
“The recommendations of this study will contribute to our ongoing focus on prevention, enhanced protection for victims, and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable. We are currently incorporating it into our five-year strategic plan for the seventh administration.
“We will also continue to mobilise funding from both public and private sector sources to ensure that our interventions against GBVF are adequately resourced. Support for civil society will be crucial in this regard,” Chikunga said.