LIMPOPO – The community of Thohoyandou is reeling in shock and grief following the discovery of a missing mother and her young daughter, both found brutally murdered after vanishing more than two months ago. Police have since arrested two suspects, including the woman’s boyfriend, in connection with the horrific crime.
The victims, a 31-year-old woman and her 2-year-old daughter, were reported missing on 19 May 2025. Their sudden disappearance sparked an intensive investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo, who were joined by the provincial missing persons task team.
After weeks of searching, a breakthrough came on Wednesday, 30 July 2025. Acting on a credible lead, police located the bodies of the two victims. In a disturbing twist, some body parts were reportedly missing, raising suspicions of ritualistic elements in the killing. Authorities wasted no time in arresting two men believed to be responsible.
One of the suspects, Tshilidzi Phalandwa (43), was identified as the boyfriend of the deceased woman. The second suspect, Balangani Sedzani Tshivhombedze (32), was also linked to the crime. The duo appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 1 August 2025. Their case was postponed to Tuesday, 5 August 2025, while they remain in custody.
The double murder has once again drawn attention to the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. Citizens took to social media to express their outrage and heartbreak.
One user, @Tom47096338, commented:
> “This is the kind of man that must be handed over to the community. Prison is not going to fix him.”
Another, @Mokone40, wrote simply:
> “People (read men) are cruel.”
The brutality of the crime has highlighted a disturbing pattern seen in other recent cases across the country. Just weeks earlier, several women were murdered under equally tragic and violent circumstances. These include the death of 20-year-old Ithabeleng Motleleng, whose body was found under her boyfriend’s bed, and a Phoenix woman, Madhumathie Bunwarie, who was killed by a battery thrown off a bridge.
In a related story, police in KwaZulu-Natal arrested a suspect in the murder of his female subordinate, who had gone missing in December. Her body was found buried in a shallow grave, emphasizing how common and horrifying these gender-based crimes have become.
The SAPS continues to urge the public to report any suspicious behavior or missing persons cases as soon as possible. Authorities also confirmed they are investigating possible links between this murder and other similar crimes in the province, including the recent discovery of human heads allegedly found in the possession of a traditional healer.
As the investigation unfolds, Limpopo residents and the nation wait anxiously for justice to be served in a case that has left an entire community devastated.
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