Residents of Impendle, about 75 km west of Pietermaritzburg, are reeling with anger after a 23-year-old woman’s body was discovered with stab wounds outside her home on Sunday.

Police have arrested a man in connection with the murder and he is expected to appear in the Impendle Magistrate’s Court today.

Nobuhle Dladla went missing from her home in Ntshiyabantu on Saturday. Her parents had left her alone while they went to attend a funeral.

According to Induna Makhosazana Sithole, when Nobuhle’s parents arrived in the afternoon they found all the doors locked but she was not home. Sithole says neighbours had to break into the house and confirmed that she was missing after finding her personal belongings including her cellphone.

A search party then started looking for her until late that day.

“We haven’t had electricity for two months now in our area so the search was called off when it started to get dark… Her body was only discovered on Sunday morning,” adds Sithole.

Sithole says it’s suspected that Nobuhle’s body was moved.

She adds Nobuhle was stabbed in the face and found half naked, with the skirt she was wearing on her upper body. She says several residents gathered at the scene – shocked.

Sithole says a person living in the area was also present ‘and looked shocked like every one of us’.

“Someone noticed that he had blood on his shoes and when asked, he said it could’ve been from the time he was helping to cover Nobuhle’s body. We became suspicious because by that time, she was no longer bleeding so when the police arrived we notified them of this.”

She explains that after police searched the man’s home, he was arrested.

Sithole says the community is furious and even attempted to burn down his house in anger.

Nobuhle lived with her father and disabled mother, who are devastated.

“Her father looks disoriented, hurt and in so much pain, not believing what had happened. Her mother is in a bad state …We are hoping to get them all the help they need.”

Umgungundlovu District police spokesperson Warrant Officer Panchael Singh says Impendle police are investigating a case of murder and rape.