Missing Mpumalanga Boy Found Murdered and Buried, South Africans Heartbroken

• The search for little Junior Mabandla, who went missing over a month ago in Mpumalanga, ended in tragedy
• The little boy was found dead, and his body was found buried in a shallow grave, despite the South African Police Service even offering a reward for information about
• Mpumalanga SAPS' spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, spoke to Briefly News about another missing child
• South Africans were hurt, and many slammed the country's criminal justice system, calling for an overhaul

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered police investigations and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PIENAAR, MPUMALANGA — Little Junior Mabandla, who went missing from Pienaar in Mpumalanga, was found dead after a month.

Missing child found dead

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According to a statement from the South African Police Service, the six-year-old went missing on 3 June. Police were called to a scene on 3 July where members of the community apprehended an 18-year-old who is believed to have been responsible for Mabandla's disappearance as well as another three-year-old girl. He was taken to hospital where he was under police guard.

The police were then led to the place where Mabandla was believed to have been buried. His body was exhumed, and his family identified him. The body of the little girl is also expected to be exhumed.

SAPS speaks to Briefly News about missing girl

SAPS' Mpumalanga spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, spoke to Briefly News about the missing girl.

"The girl was not formally reported as missing, so it's something that we are following because the family indicated that she went missing and was not formally reported," he said.

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SA heartbroken and angry

Netizens commenting on Facebook were saddened by the incident and angered by how law enforcement handled the missing boy's case.

Fathima Sheik said:

''The community did a better job than the police. RIP, little one.''

Erina Maki Leslie said:

The law in this country needs a serious revamp. All sorts of crime and lawlessness are out of control.''

Milly Mc Lachlan said:

''Oh my Lord, this is so sad. Why must we suffer the loss of our children so much?''

Shantal Ross said:

''Our justice system is failing us.''

Missing Mpumalanga woman found dead in shallow grave

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that a woman from Mpumalanga who went missing was found in a shallow grave.

Concerned community members searched for her and alerted the police after they found her car abandoned. She was found a week after she went missing.

Source: Briefly News