South African police have made swift arrests in two separate cases of alleged femicide over the past 48 hours, both suspected to have been fueled by accusations of infidelity.
The senseless killings occurred during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), an annual United Nations campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10.
This comes after a 32-year-old man was taken into police custody on Sunday afternoon after his ex-girlfriend walked into the local police station and reported that a woman had possibly been killed at a rental room in Zone 2.
Boyfriend found with body of the deceased
The man from the Free State town of Meqheleng near Ficksburg was found with the body of the deceased.
Officers rushed to the scene and discovered 24-year-old Nomsa Kotope lying lifeless on the floor of her rented room.
Paramedics declared her dead on arrival.
According to the police, the victim had been in a relationship with the suspect, who allegedly accused her of cheating before the fatal attack on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old man has been charged with murder and is scheduled to appear in the Ficksburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Man attacks lover while walking with friend
Meanwhile, on Friday night, a similar tragedy unfolded in Ga-Malepetleke village in Limpopo’s Waterberg District.
A 41-year-old man allegedly confronted his 34-year-old girlfriend while she was walking with a friend at around 9pm.
Driving a maroon Nissan Micra, he is said to have accused her of infidelity, pulled out a sharp object, and stabbed her multiple times in the street before speeding off.
Emergency services declared the woman dead at the scene.
Police later recovered the murder weapon and arrested the suspect.
The 41-year-old suspect is due to appear in the Mahwelereng Magistrate’s Court on Monday on a charge of murder.
In a statement released by the police provincial commissioner in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, she strongly condemned the killing, describing it as domestic-related and urging couples to seek non-violent solutions to relationship problems.
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