A teenage boy has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a 16-year-old girl who was found decapitated in Pharare village, Limpopo.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday, 1 May 2026, at around 18:00.
TEEN ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF ANOTHER TEEN IN LIMPOPO
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson in Limpopo, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said police received a report of a female body discovered in a bush area and responded immediately.
“Upon arrival, police were met by a 17-year-old male who directed them to a nearby bush where the naked, decapitated body of the victim was found,” Ledwaba said.
He explained that the suspect initially claimed he had been walking with the victim in Pharare village when they were allegedly accosted by occupants of a blue VW Polo.
According to the suspect, the group — reportedly two men and two women — were masked and armed with firearms.
“He alleged that they were forced into the vehicle at gunpoint and driven to a bushy area. There, he sustained knife wounds to his arm and abdomen before managing to escape,” Ledwaba said.
Police later discovered the victim’s head buried near her body during a search of the scene
WEAPON LINKED TO THE CRIME CONFISCATED
Following the discovery, members of the Limpopo Murder and Robbery Unit, the Mopani Tracking Team, and Maake Detectives launched an intensive investigation.
This led to the arrest of the 17-year-old suspect at a local hospital on Saturday, 2 May 2026, where he had been admitted.
Limpopo police said the suspect was subsequently linked to the murder, and a weapon believed to have been used in the commission of the crime was confiscated.
A probation officer is expected to assess the suspect in terms of the Child Justice Act to determine the appropriate legal process ahead of his court appearance.
