Free State police spokesperson, Ikobeng Hlubi, tells OFM News that Makhoba was last seen on Monday 4 March by her friend after school in Ipopeng location. Mingy, as she was affectionately known, was wearing her school uniform, a white shirt with a green skirt and her black school shoes. The seven-year-old girl’s lifeless body was discovered by Leabua Tjemolane and a group of his friends in the open field next to the R702, heading to Dewetsdorp, around midday. It is believed that she was brutally raped, something which police are yet to confirm.

Tjemolane says he and his group of friends were making their way back from a local egg farm when they saw the little girl’s decomposing body. He says they ran to the local police station in Kopanong to alert the authorities of what they had seen. The situation is understandably very tense. The family of the young girl arrived at the field not too long after the media and viewed the body. An angry community member yelled at people standing around out of frustration, urging those who know what happened to come forward and inform the police.

Hlubi says a murder case has been opened with police. She says while there is a possibility of rape, they cannot confirm it as yet “at least not until post-mortem results come back and confirm it.”

OFM News