Murder probe opened after body of missing Nellmapius teen found
Police confirmed the remains belong to Tshepiso Manyeduane, whose family awaits DNA confirmation before burial and continues to call for justice.
The family of Tshepiso Manyeduane (15), whose decomposing body was found in the bushveld between Nellmapius Ext 1 and Ext 4, has asked police to speed up the process of running DNA tests.
Manyeduane was reported missing on September 28 and was later found by a passerby on October 8. Police have since confirmed that the body belongs to Tshepiso.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Marinda Austin confirmed that the body is that of Tshepiso.
Marinda said all leads from the missing person case have been followed up on, and they are now investigating a murder case.
Austin said, “No arrest has been made, and at this moment it is an ongoing investigation by Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.”
Lebogang Manyeduane, sister to the victim, said that she was positive that the body she saw belonged to her brother, as she recognised the clothes on the body.
The family has said they cannot plan a burial, as the police insist on performing a DNA test to confirm the identity of the body.
According to Lebogang, Tshepiso went missing on the afternoon of September 28 and was not seen again.
His family says Tshepiso was a loving person who had lots of friends and loved to dance, and that they want justice for their son and the police to do their jobs.
Meanwhile, Councillor Kholofelo Kgopotso has pleaded with the public to avoid walking past the area where the body was found, as it is dangerous.
“We have launched a complaint to clear the bush veld, only to find that it’s private land set [aside] to build low-cost houses.
“Therefore, we could not clear the bushes as land invaders might see the cleared bush veld as an opportunity to erect shacks,” Kgopotso continued.
Kgopotso said that the bushveld is a hideout for criminals, and that children use the veld as a short route to go to nearby schools in Nellmapius Ext 1.
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