The man suspected of murdering Thando Madlala (22) appeared in the Ramsgate Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Thursday).
The case was postponed to October 4 for further investigation, and the suspect remains in custody.
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Ms Madlala was found buried in a shallow grave in Masinenge last Friday.
It is believed she had been raped, stabbed and her throat slit.
The community rallied to help Margate police and the Port Shepstone K9 Unit with the search after she was reported missing by friends on Wednesday last week.
The Madlala family say they have been shattered by her death.
Her grandfather, Sibusiso Madlala said Ms Madlala’s mother was still in a state of shock.
“She is devastated and is struggling to deal with this.”
Police spokesman Sergeant Sibu Ncane confirmed that a suspect (25) had been arrested by the Margate Task Team on Tuesday this week.
The murder of this young woman is the latest in a spate of crimes against women and children that have rocked the country.
Margate Station Commander, Brigadier William Slabbert has condemned gender-based violence and added that the police would work tirelessly to ensure that those who are perpetrating such crimes against vulnerable members of society will be brought to book.
Activists are calling on government to do more to crack down on gender-based violence, and protests have taken place across the country, including in Port Shepstone, Margate and Umdoni.
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality mayor, Cynthia Mqwebu said the number of women being killed was shocking.
“It’s especially concerning that this has occurred at a time when there is an outcry all over the country about the escalation of incidents of gender-based violence.”
She called on everyone to stand up and say no to this scourge, and issued a special clarion call to men to regard women as human beings and not as objects of abuse.
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