A 22-year-old man from Schoemansdal, Mpumalanga, is behind bars after he allegedly confessed to killing his 17-year-old girlfriend and destroying her corpse, provincial police said on Thursday.

He was arrested on Tuesday after community members confronted him about the whereabouts of the teenager, who had been missing since earlier this month.

“Police immediately rushed to the scene and, on arrival, the suspect confessed to having stabbed the 17-year-old victim to death and then burnt her body with tyres for two consecutive days,” said police spokesperson Brig Leonard Hlathi.

“He further pointed out a place where he committed the evil deeds and her ashes were indeed found in the bush,” Hlathi added.

The man, Donald Dlamini, appeared before the Boschfontein periodical court on Thursday.

“Dlamini was remanded in custody and the matter postponed to November 21 for a formal bail application,” said Hlathi.