By Thapelo Matlala
At about 9pm on Sunday 21 May, a 23-year-old woman was found dead inside a bakery in Hill Street, Makhanda. Just one week later, the body of a 49-year-old man was found hanging from a tree in Worcester Street at 9am in the morning.
Now police have confirmed that the deaths are connected – the 23 year old woman was the man’s daughter. Both hail from Zimbabwe. They say the deceased man “was a person of interest in the murder case, which occurred at the bakery in Makhanda on Sunday”, police spokesperson, Majola Nkohli, told Grocott’s Mail. The pair apparently ran the bakery together.
Nkohli said the deceased woman had no visible injuries, but a blood stain on the left side of the head was visible. Her body was found by someone who was visiting a bakery employee. The identities of both people are being withheld by police until their next of kin can be traced and informed.
Police have opened inquest dockets and have asked anyone with information about the crimes to contact the nearest police station. The information may also be shared via Crime Stop on 08600 10111. This is an ongoing case, and investigations have already commenced, police said.
(This story was updated on 6 June to include new information about the family relationship between the two deceased people).
