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- A 28-year-old man has been arrested for the murder of his mother.
- Police said community members traced him before he was arrested on Friday.
- An autopsy was conducted on the deceased, the results are yet to be released.
A 28-year-old man allegedly murdered his mother and dumped her body on Hornlee Street in the Western Cape town of Knysna.
He has has since been arrested for the murder. Police confirmed the murdered woman is the mother of the man arrested.
Southern Cape police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said the suspect is scheduled to appear in the Knysna Magistrate's Court on Monday on a charge of murder.
"He was arrested on Friday, 14 January, around 23:00. Preliminary investigations reveal that he was spotted and apprehended by members of the community who partook in a search to trace him down as he [had been] on the run since the murder of his mom," said Pojie.
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According to police, a missing person's report was filed on Monday, 10 January.
"The woman's body was found on Tuesday by members of the community following a missing person's report," he added.
Pojie said the initial report indicated that Knysna police had opened a case of murder after the body of a 59-year-old woman was found in the bushes between Alemein and Stroebel Street at Hornlee on Tuesday around 13:00.
Investigations into the woman's disappearance indicate that she was last seen on Friday 7 January in the evening at her residence at Heatherdale Street.
"Police were alerted, and a search ensued consisting of various police units and members of the community. A member of the public later discovered the naked body of the woman... in the bush," he said.
Crime scene experts combed the house of the deceased and the scene where the body was discovered for clues.
"At this stage, circumstances surrounding this brutal killing is under investigation. The motive is yet to be determined," said Pojie.
An autopsy has been conducted; however, the results are not yet available.
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Knysna Community Police Forum chairperson (CPF) Cheryl Brits told News24 they strongly condemn the incident.
Britz added that the CPF continues to initiate awareness campaigns on gender-based violence.
"We remain committed to working with the different stakeholders to assist with domestic violence," she said.
Former Knysna Mayor Elrick van Aswegen told News24 the crime committed was "horrific".
Van Aswegen added that unemployment, drug abuse, and poverty play a vital role in the way people handle certain situations within their community.
"There should be introspection done in the community to avoid such incidents going forward. I applaud the members of the community for their willingness to apprehend the suspect. Their willingness to assist the police and CPF in bringing the alleged perpetrator to book must be commended," he added.
The investigation officer Sergeant Jocelyn Williams urged anyone with information to assist the police with their investigation, anyone with information can contact Knysna SAPS at 044 302 6608 or Crime stop at 08600 10111.
