×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Second suspect arrested in Soweto teen Siphiwe Sibeko's murder

Nandi Sibeko, the distraught mother of Siphiwe Sibeko, the 14-year-old girl who went missing and was found killed in Emndeni, Soweto. A second suspect was arrested in her murder.
Nandi Sibeko, the distraught mother of Siphiwe Sibeko, the 14-year-old girl who went missing and was found killed in Emndeni, Soweto. A second suspect was arrested in her murder.
Image: Veli Nhlapo

A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of Soweto teenager, Siphiwe Sibeko.

Police spokesman Cpt Kay Makhubele said the 17-year-old suspect was arrested in White City, Soweto on Thursday morning.

“This brings the total number of suspects arrested to two. These are the suspects who allegedly killed the 14-year-old girl from Dobsonville,” Makhubele said.

On Tuesday, a 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with the teen’s murder.

“The suspects will appear together today 09 April 2020 in Protea magistrate,” Makhubele said. Sibeko was raped, and her mutilated body was found dumped raped in Mndeni last Friday. This was after she went missing on Thursday while on her way to a tuckshop in Dobsonville.

Nandi Sibeko, the teen’s mother could not contain herself on Sunday when she described the state in which her daughter was discovered after she went missing.

“The only thing that we could recognise her with was her clothes - pink takkies and grey trackpants. But we could not recognise her because they injured her badly,” Sibeko said. The distraught mother said the family went to the scene where Siphiwe’s body was found and saw the amount of blood her daughter lost.

“It was everywhere, it was even on the trees - we don't know what kind of human being could do something like this,” Sibeko said.

She described the grade 9 learner as a bright spark who wanted to study chemical engineering after she matriculated.

“My daughter was smart, she was a head girl at her primary school and a finalist during interviews at Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. She was intelligent and reserved. I don't understand why someone would have done something like this to her,” Sibeko said.

The 40-year-old mother said the family grew worried when Siphiwe failed to return to their Dobsonville home.

“When she left the house she asked her grandmother whether she wanted any snacks because she was going to the tuckshop. We grew worried when it became late and she had not returned. On Friday morning we went to her friend’s house in Mndeni to find out if she was there, but did not find her because she is not a child who does not come home and doesn't like going out much and only has one friend,” she said.

She said a police officer fetched them on Saturday morning and took them to a government mortuary where Siphiwe’s body was kept.

The officer told Sibeko and her family that they discovered a body of a woman who was between the ages 14 and 25. “My sister and mother went in to identify, I could not bear to go in there,” Sibeko said. “We are pleading with men out there to stop killing women and children. This gender-based violence must come to an end we are being slaughtered.”

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.