By Mapaballo Borotho
Please note: This story contains details of alleged gender-based violence and may be distressing to some readers

- A 64-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of an 18-year-old woman in Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga.
- Police say the suspect handed himself over and directed officers to the victim’s body at his residence.
- The victim had previously obtained a protection order against the suspect, according to police.
A 64-year-old man has been arrested for the alleged murder of his 18-year-old female friend in Wakkerstroom, a rural town in Mpumalanga.
Police say the suspect handed himself over at a Community Service Centre on Monday, 20 July 2026, where he allegedly confessed to killing the young woman at his residence.
Officers accompanied the suspect to the property, where they found the victim’s body in one of the rooms.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Jabu Ndubane said Emergency Medical Services declared the woman dead at the scene.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that earlier this month, the deceased had obtained a protection order against the suspect,” said Ndubane.
The suspect was arrested and is expected to appear before the Wakkerstroom Periodical Court on a charge of murder.
The accused remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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