Tragedy in Protea South: Mother of 1, Ithabeleng Motleleng, Found Murdered Under Boyfriend's Bed

• Ithabeleng Motleleng, a 20-year-old from Protea South, was found dead under her boyfriend's bed after a four-day search by her family, sparking shock and heartbreak
• The discovery was made at her boyfriend of three months’ house after he initially claimed he had not seen her after she went missing
• Motleleng's family told Briefly News they feel betrayed by the boyfriend, as he pretended to help search for her while knowing he had hidden her body under his bed
• The 27-year-old suspect was arrested after attempting to flee the scene, appeared in court already and abandoned his bail application

After four days of searching for the 20-year-old Ithabeleng Motleleng, who went missing in Protea South on Monday, 26 May, the family made a shocking discovery that they were not expecting. The mother of one’s body was found under her boyfriend's bed on Friday, 30 June.

Visiting her boyfriend

According to the family, the last time they saw Ithabeleng, she told her sister and friend that she was visiting her boyfriend, whom she had been with for three months. To the family’s surprise, the following day, the boyfriend came looking for her, claiming he had not seen her.

The brother of the 20-year-old, Relebogile Lipholo, told Briefly News they feel betrayed as the suspect is someone they know. Relebogile also stated that as a family, they don't think that it is any justice to them that the 27-year-old suspect was arrested because “he is going to have a good time in prison” while they suffer the pain of never seeing their sister again.

"Him being in jail is the same as being at a hotel, getting free food and shelter while we are out here going through this pain of having lost my sister in such a cruel way,” Lipholo said.

Motleleng’s lifeless body was found wrapped in a blanket under her boyfriend’s bed. According to her brother, the suspect pretended to be worried about her whereabouts and was helping the family look for her.

“He came to us looking worried and was searching for Ithabeleng with us, when he knew that he had killed her and hid her under the same bed he continued to sleep on,” a distraught Relebogile said.

Suspect arrested

The police found the suspect packing his clothes when they arrived to arrest him.

On Monday, 2 June, the suspect appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court. The victim’s family was also present and supported by their community, who picketed outside the court.

The alleged killer has not pleaded as yet, abandoned his bail application and will remain behind bars until his next appearance in August.

The 20-year-old woman leaves behind her two-year-old son.

This incident has also left the community shocked and in fear. A young person from the area, Simnikiwe Maduna, told Briefly News she is always looking over her shoulder, fearing that something bad might happen.

A woman from the same area, Khethi Mazibuko, said that as a mother, she is so scared for her children’s safety.

"Now we don't know how to protect our children, where are we going to hide them?” she asked.

Woman killed after going on date

Briefly News previously reported that the tragic murder of a 30-year-old woman has left social media users up in arms. Olorato Mongale was last seen on Monday, 26 May 2025, at her residential complex in Athol, Johannesburg.

A few hours later, she was murdered and her body was dumped in another area, approximately a 12-minute drive away from her home.

Source: Briefly News