A 17- year-old learner Owami Visagie was raped and killed in Refilwe township, Cullinan on Sunday 24 March.
Visagie was a Grade 11 learner at Chippa-Tabane Secondary School in the township.
Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane has expressed his devastation regarding Visagie’s rape and murder.
A media statement released by Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona indicates that Visagie attended extra classes as usual on Sunday 24 March.
“It is reported that after classes she went home but left the house again around 18h00 and did not return,” said Mabona.
“Her mother then filed a missing persons’ report with the police that same night,” he said.
Mabona said the Visagie family then received information suggesting that Owami was last seen with her cousin and the family then went to the cousin’s home to ascertain Owami’s whereabouts,” he said.
To their horror, the family found Owami’s lifeless body in a room inside the cousin’s home and immediately called the police to the scene to conduct investigations.
It then became apparent that Owami had been raped before being strangled to death.
“The suspect in this case handed himself to the police and appeared at the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrates Court on 27 March,” said Mabona.
“We are deeply devastated by the passing of our dear learner (Owami Visagie), especially under such gruesome circumstances,” said MEC Chiloane.
“We solemnly sympathies with her beloved family, and we are extending our sincerest condolences to them and the school community at large,” he said.