ERMELO – Police are investigating the alleged murder of a 27-year-old woman in Thusi Village after a 31-year-old man was arrested in connection with her death on October 2.

Provincial SAPS spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said police received a complaint about a woman allegedly being assaulted by her male friend.

When officers arrived, they found the woman unconscious on the ground. Paramedics declared her dead at the scene.

According to Masondo, the suspect was still in the vicinity and was immediately arrested.

The suspect appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court this morning, facing a charge of murder.

The matter was postponed to October 12 for a plea.

During his first appearance, the court addressed preliminary matters, including legal representation. He indicated that he would appoint a private attorney rather than make use of state-funded legal representation.

The family is awaiting the official post-mortem results to confirm the cause of death.

The woman’s family has approached the Mpumalanga Department of Social Development for social work and psychosocial support, particularly for her four-year-old son.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and the motive.

Read more about the family’s appeal for support and its call for greater gender-based violence awareness in the Highvelder’s printed edition.