A 25-year-old man is on Wednesday expected to appear in the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court outside Polokwane in Limpopo in connection with the murder of an intern doctor.
The body of 24-year-old Shongile Nkhwashu was found in her room at the doctors’ residence at Mankweng Hospital outside Polokwane on Sunday night.
She was allegedly strangled.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, accompanied by Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba met with other intern doctors at the hospital on Tuesday.
He says the incident did not occur because of a breach in security as the deceased and the suspect knew each other.
Watch the video below for more on the visit:
On her Twitter feed, Ramathuba has urged the nation to rally behind Nkhwashu and fight for justice ahead of the suspects’ court appearance.
Join us this morning 22 Jan @09hrs Mankweng magistrate court as the murder suspect of our lovely,ever smiling Dr Pretty appears. She is gone the least we can do is to fight for her justice Every little voice counts #JusticeForDrNkwhashu #RIPShongileNkwhashu pic.twitter.com/YdFSWuQTzc
— Dr Phophi Ramathuba (@PhophiRamathuba) January 22, 2020
Meanwhile, Nkhwashu’s family believes she was killed on Friday.
Nkhwashu’s father Kenneth says the family is devastated.
“The last time I spoke to her was in the early hours of Friday. I never managed to get hold of her since then. Then a certain police officer called me and said he has been called to Mankweng Hospital about my daughter’s situation and I asked him are trying to tell me my daughter is dead and he said yes. I never slept that night I had to communicate it to my son and try to identify the sister whom he said was beyond recognition because she was kind of spoiled and rotten…it is painful.”