Durban — Law enforcement agencies have been called in to investigate a double murder case after the bodies of two young women, aged 17 and 30, were found naked, injured and dumped at a parking lot in Isipingo, south of Durban, on Sunday afternoon.
The call came from KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, who alerted the media to the incident.
In a voice note circulating on social media, a man is heard saying that he believed the two women had been raped and killed because they were naked and injured, but from the way they were found it appeared that they were attacked elsewhere, as the two bodies were found one on top of the other.
Also in a screenshot circulating on social media, one of the women can be seen face down, legs straight, while the other is placed on top of her, flat on her back, with her legs over the first woman.
According to other information, also circulating on social media, it is believed that the women are related, an aunt and a niece from Wentworth.
The Department of Social Development said that the bodies were found naked and abandoned at Jeena’s Warehouse parking lots.
It said that the bodies had visible injuries.
It also said that it is believed the women did not live far from the crime scene.
Khoza condemned the crime and expressed shock at the barbaric murder of defenceless women that continued to happen in the province.
“The discovery of two bodies of women in Isipingo raises to four the number of women murdered in the province at the weekend. It is very painful to see young people being butchered daily in the province,” Khoza said.
She said that cases of women murdered needed to be investigated with speed.
“As a society, we need to play our role in exposing the perpetrators and ensure that all those involved in such cases are brought to book and punished accordingly,” Khoza said.
The MEC appealed to the public to help the police crack the murder cases.
“We should not rest until the perpetrators are found and arrested. They should be given lengthy jail sentences in order to send a strong message that as the province we are intolerant of the abuse of women,” Khoza said.
She made the same call that she has made many times, that every member of society should play a role in ensuring women’s safety.
“We cannot fold our arms while innocent people continue to die while we watch and keep quiet,” Khoza said.
The MEC sent her heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and called for calm in communities to allow police to do their work.
She also dispatched a team of social workers to offer psycho-social support to the victims’ families. She said it was imperative that victims and families of such tragedies were given adequate support.
Police have been approached for comment.
Daily News