Franklin Mias from Richmond in Northern Cape left his home in the company of his girlfriend only to return alone covered in blood.
The girlfriend, Geraldine Frazenberg, was nowhere to be found. The 48-year-old Mias later washed some of his bloodstained clothes and burned the rest.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the incident took place in October and the suspect was arrested in November.
Buried in shallow grave
After his arrest, Mias directed police to a hole where he had buried Frazenberg. Police found the deceased in a shallow earth pig hole at the golf ground near a school.
Frazenberg’s body was found covered in sand.
The NPA said the victim’s mother, who lived with the couple, is the one who raised the alarm and, at the time, Mias had vanished into thin air.
On Wednesday, Mias appeared in the Richmond district court for the murder of his girlfriend. He bail application was turned down and the case was postponed to January 16.
He was ordered back in jail where he will remain until his next court appearance.
Resist patriarchy
Sonke Gender Justice, a non-profit organisation (NPO), said in June that it believes women and men, girls and boys can work together to resist patriarchy, advocate for gender justice, and achieve gender transformation.
The NPO raised concern about the crime statistics for the first quarter, which were released by Police Minister Bheki Cele.
The statistics showed an increase in the murders of women and children.
Bafana Khumalo, co-executive director at Sonke Gender Justice and co-chairperson of Global MenEngage Alliance, said at the time: “This [the statistics] in essence makes the whole of South Africa a crime scene in relation to violence against women.”
Khumalo called on police to take more proactive action and turn the tide against the scourge of violence on women and girls.
