The family of Rorisang Baakwalanya is still reeling with shock after her body was found burnt beyond recognition in the bushes in Lokaleng, Mahikeng.
Baakwalanya was found after her sibling, Kagiso Moepetsane, posted her as missing on social media, asking the public to help the family locate her.
Speaking to IOL on Tuesday, Moepetsane, said his 29-year-old sister went missing last Wednesday.
“We only became aware that she is missing after her friends told us they couldn’t get hold of her. The thing is we stay in Rustenburg and she was staying in Mafikeng with her boyfriend.
“When we contacted her boyfriend on the 27th, he told us he also doesn’t know where she is because she left after they had a fight,” Moepetsane said.
When she went missing, he said, she had left her 11-month-old baby with the nanny and her two older kids were in Rustenburg with her family.
After the family were unable to locate her, they reported her missing to police and also posted her pictures on social media to create awareness.
“A few days later, a woman commented on my Facebook post and said police found a woman’s body in the bushes in Mafikeng. She advised us to go to Mmabatho police station as they were handling the case.”
Moepetsane said that on January 29, his two older sisters went to Mafikeng to identify the body.
“I was scared to go, I didn’t want to be left with the haunting images. But at least they managed to identify her through her tattoos.”
According to Moepetsane, it is still unclear how his sister died, as the post-mortem report could not establish her cause of death.
“We are not sure, but it seems like she was beaten before she was burnt.”
The family don’t want to point fingers at anyone or cast aspersions on people who might be innocent, he said.
“We want police to conduct a thorough investigation without us interfering, we want justice for Rorisang and we want police to do their job.”
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed to IOL that Mmabatho police were investigating a case of murder after a woman’s burnt body was found along the road near Lokaleng village on January 27.
“The motive is unknown at this stage and no arrest has been effected. Investigations into the matter are still under way,” said Mokgwabone.
IOL