Lover confesses to killing 57-year-old woman

As South Africa observes 16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children Abuse, another woman has been killed and buried in a shallow grave allegedly by her lover at Xihosani village outside Malamulele in Limpopo.

The body of 57-year old Sarah Makhubele was dug out of a shallow grave alongside a road at Xihosani village on Wednesday night. The grave was pointed out by her lover who had been apprehended and assaulted by community members.

Relatives and neighbours have been visiting the bereaved Makhubele’s homestead to send their condolences. The walls of a house that was under construction in the yard have caved in. Makhubele’s daughter, Phyllis, says her mother’s lover damaged the house earlier this month.

Phyllis says her mother was last seen alive on Wednesday last week. She was found after angry community members apprehended and assaulted her lover from his home in Muswana village. He allegedly then confessed to killing her and pointed out the shallow grave where she was then dug out of.

“At the beginning of November I got a call that the suspect had damaged the house, that he had removed all the door and window frames, as well as all the items that he had bought and left with them. My mother then got a protection order against him. And then last week when I called her, her phone just rang. After that her phone wouldn’t even ring anymore. She just disappeared, she was last seen on Wednesday last week in the evening, until her body was dug out last night. This situation has traumatised me,” says  Phyllis.

Phyllis has described her mother’s relationship with the suspect as abusive.

“They have been together for years, he was always abusive. He once hurt her, and then he set our kitchen on fire. Now he killed her,” adds Phyllis.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo says a 43-year old man has been arrested in connection with Sarah Makhubele’s murder.