Mpumalanga man arrested after body of missing woman was found in shallow grave in Daggakraal cemetery

Police arrested a man who was seen leaving a local tavern with a woman whose body was found in a shallow grave at Daggakraal cemetery. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Police arrested a man who was seen leaving a local tavern with a woman whose body was found in a shallow grave at Daggakraal cemetery. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Published Aug 17, 2023

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Police in Mpumalanga have arrested a man who was seen leaving a local tavern with the woman whose body was found in a shallow grave at Daggakraal cemetery after she was reported missing.

Simphiwe Mkhwanazi, 19, was remanded in custody following the recovery of 37-year-old Ellen Dlamini's body in a shallow grave in Daggakraal cemetery on Friday, August 11, 2023.

Dlamini was reported missing by her partner on August 8, 2023, after she was last seen leaving the local tavern with Mkhwanazi on Friday, August 4, 2023, at about 10 pm.

"Neighbours became suspicious when the mother of a 17-year-old teenager could not be seen for days. They then contacted her partner, who was at work in Gauteng," said Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, police spokesperson.

"On arrival, her partner reported her missing at the police station, and an investigation was launched," Mohlala said.

Mohlala further added that on Friday, police received information that there was a shallow grave in the local cemetery with some body parts protruding from the grave.

"Police were summoned to the scene, and the body was unearthed in the presence of Dlamini's partner, who positively identified her.

"The body had bruises on the face, and the bone was shoved down her throat not far from the grave, and some of her clothing items were also identified by her partner.

“Mkhwanazi, who was the last person to be seen in the company of the deceased, was detained for questioning, which resulted in his being charged with murder,” Mohlala said.

Mohlala added that Mkhwanazi appeared in Amersfoort Magistrate's Court on Monday, where he was remanded in custody pending further investigation and is expected back in court on Monday, September 11, 2023.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, strongly condemned gender-based violence and urged women not to trust strangers but rather bank on people they trust.

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