Residents of Tshikhwani in the Sinthumule area in Limpopo are still in shock after the body of a woman, who was raped and killed, was discovered last Sunday.

The 50-year-old Julia Matoro’s bloodied, half-naked body was found by passersby in the early hours. She had several stab wounds. Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed the incident, and said cases of rape and murder are being investigated.

“Members at our detective unit are investigating, and hopefully we will soon make a breakthrough,” Mojapelo said.

The incident adds to the ever-increasing statistics of murders in the village.

The ward councillor, Masia Mulaudzi, said that years ago, the area had been notorious for killings and other criminal activities but that through their partnership with the police, the area had become safer again.

“We are very concerned about the recent killings in our area again. We have already lost a number of lives through crime in a very short space of time,” he said.

Mulaudzi said that after consultations with other structures and the local traditional leader, they had agreed to hold a meeting and plan the way forward to combat the scourge of crime in their area.

The chairperson of the Real Men Foundation, Calvin Nenguza, said that whoever had killed the woman was not a real man.

“Real men do not kill. They do not rape their women, but give comfort and security to them. Let us all shout out in one voice against the abuse of women, children and killing,” he said.

Matoro was buried at Tshikhwani on Saturday. No arrests had been made yet, and police investigations are ongoing.