Limpopo SAPS Female Officer’s Body Found by Grandson After Boyfriend Allegedly Kills Her

• A 43-year-old sergeant of the South African Police Service was found dead in her home in Limpopo
• The officer was attached to the Rooiberg Police Station and returned home on 25 January 2025
• However, the next morning, her 6-year-old grandson found her lifeless body, and the police launched a manhunt to search for the suspect, believed to be her boyfriend
• Criminologist Dr Tinyiku Ngoveni from the University of South Africa weighed in on gender-based violence and femicide

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

ROOIBERG, LIMPOPO — A 47-year-old South African Police Service sergeant's grandson found her lifeless body the morning after she returned home with her boyfriend on 25 January 2025 in Rooiberg in Limpopo.

Woman's body found dead

According to a statement by the South African Police Service are looking for 43-year-old Ben Malebye. He is allegedly the woman's boyfriend, and they have urged him to come forward with information about the events that led to the sergeant's death.

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Where is the boyfriend?

It's alleged that domestic violence could have been the cause of the officer's death. The couple returned home in the evening. The next morning, her six-year-old grandson found her lifeless body. Her vehicle and her boyfriend were both missing. The medical personnel declared her dead on the scene. Her car was located 50 kilometres from her home along Thabazimbi Road near Koedoeskop.

Women who were allegedly killed by boyfriends

• A man from Parktown in Johannesburg was arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend in October 2024
• A Diepkloof, Soweto man was arrested in the same month after he allegedly killed his girlfriend and falsely reported that she committed suicide
• A Qunu, Eastern Cape man handed himself over to the police after he allegedly murdered his girlfriend

Crime expert comments on GBVF

Briefly News spoke to Dr Tinyiku Ngoveni from the University of South Africa about gender-based violence and femicide.

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"Crime is still a problem in the country on all spectrums. The two crimes, GBVF and violent crimes directly impact community members on a high note, something that is worrisome," he said.

Limpopo man hands himself over to police for allegedly killing wife

In another article, Briefly News reported that a man from Limpopo was arrested with his accomplice for allegedly killing his wife. He handed himself over and his accomplice was arrested the following day.

The man and his wife were reported missing at the Moroka Police Station in Soweto. Her body was found in Kromdraai in the Free State on 21 January, and he handed himself over three days later.

Source: Briefly News