WHEN Akhona Ndengana returned home on Saturday evening, 30 September, she found her 15-year-old niece cooking supper.
When she was done cooking, Mulebule Phushuti bathed, dressed up and told her aunt she was going to visit a friend.
But the family was shocked to later receive a call that Mulebule's bruised body was found in a mud puddle in between shacks not far from their home in Marikana informal settlement, Philippi East.
The last time Mulebule was seen
Akhona said when Mulebule left to visit her friend, she told her not to come home late.
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"I asked why she was dressing up that late, and she said she was going to visit her friend. We know the friend she was talking about," she said.
But at around 8pm, Akhona realised her sister's daughter had not returned home and asked a neighbour to accompany her to the house where Mulebule was.
When they got there, they found Mulebule drinking with her friends. Akhona said she told her she had decided to sleep over at the friend's house and would go home in the morning.
She said:
When I realised that she was safe and didn't want to go home with us, I went back with my neighbour. I was shocked in the morning when kids came to my house telling me that Mulebule was dead.
Mulebule's mother speaks
Mulebule's mum, Matshepang Mketu (41), said her daughter was at the aunt's house as she was at work.
She said she was shocked to receive a call from her sister, telling her that her daughter was no more.
"I'm in pain. I don't know what to do. It's painful to lose my child like this," she said.
Cops investigate the case
Police spokesman, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, confirmed that a girl's body was found dumped.
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"Philippi East police registered a murder case for investigation after the body of a female was found in Marikana informal settlement on Sunday, 1 October at about 9.30am.
"The victim showed no signs of life, and it appeared she was strangled. The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. The unknown suspect/s fled the scene and are yet to be arrested," said Twigg.
Anyone with information on this incident can contact CrimeStop on 08600 10111.
