By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – Police are worried about the increasing murder rate in the eastern part of the Free State, where at least one person is reportedly killed each day, particularly over weekends.
According to the police, three people were murdered between Friday, 4 July and Sunday, 6 July. Ten suspects have been arrested in connection with these incidents.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said the rising murder rate is a serious concern for the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Mophiring noted that although some of the killings took place in the victims’ homes, which are considered safe spaces, it becomes very difficult for the police to prevent such incidents.
In one case, on Sunday, 6 July, a 17-year-old girl was found in a pool of blood with a stab wound to her chest inside a house in Tambo Section, Senekal.
Mophiring further stated that it is alleged that her 26-year-old boyfriend stabbed her before fleeing the scene. He was later arrested. “Both were believed to be in a relationship; however, the motive behind the alleged murder is still unknown,” Mophiring said.
On Saturday, 5 July, a 32-year-old man was stabbed in the chest with a spear and died on the scene at Gedult Farm in Kestell. This followed an argument over a tractor battery with three co-workers.
“The suspects fled to a nearby farm, but our members managed to trace and arrest them. A spear was also seized as evidence,” Mophiring added.
SAPS statistics has revealed that in South Africa, the average number of murders reported daily is approximately 70 to 86. Recent statistics indicate that between January and March 2024, there were about 70 murders per day, while other reports suggest a higher figure of 86 murders per day245. This alarming trend highlights the ongoing violence in the country.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, 6 July, residents of Thaba Bosiu village were shocked to discover the lifeless body of 19-year-old Nkosana Joshua Khambule near a shop, surrounded by blood-stained stones.
Police confirmed that six suspects, aged between 20 and 29, were arrested. The deceased was identified by his father. “It is alleged that around 02:30 in the early hours of the morning, community members saw a group of people assaulting a man in the street. They left him there and drove away in a white double cab bakkie,” Mophiring said.
