Mpumalanga police are appealing to the public to help bring to book people or a person responsible for the murder of a 14-year-old girl on Wednesday at Mbalenhle township in Secunda.

Police believe she had been raped before she was murdered. “The information on our disposal shows she had accompanied her elder sister to the salon in the area. While at the salon, she decided to go back home to get something to eat, but never arrived.Her father reported her missing and a search led to her lifeless body dumped on the streets with her hands and feet tied.” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.

“For now no one has been arrested and we are asking the community to help in finding those responsible for her death. We also cannot rule out suspicions that she was raped before being killed.”

This is not the first incident in the area. In May, the lifeless body of 11-year-old Lerato Nkutha was found floating in the river not far from the township. Her mother had sent her to the shops when she failed to return.

It was later confirmed that Nkutha had been raped and killed and her body thrown into the the river. No one has been linked to her murder and police are now investigating both incidents.

Police have appealed to anyone with the information that can lead to the suspects to contact Captain Sakhile Simon Mlotshwa at 082 970 5774 or call the SAPS Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.