Eswatini man arrested after child's burnt body found
Police in Mpumalanga have arrested a suspect from Eswatini after a woman was found injured and her daughter's burnt body was discovered near Kaapmuiden.
Police detectives at Kanyamazane achieved a breakthrough in a case involving child murder, attempted murder, and perjury that occurred on 27 June. Police arrested 37-year-old Sanele Fakudze from the Kingdom of Eswatini in connection with the incident.
Relatives initially reported the 28-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter missing at Kanyamazane Police Station in Mpumalanga.
Mother and 4-year-old child missing
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said a report indicated the two were last seen entering the suspect's vehicle. Fakudze is said to be the woman's male friend.
'On 28 June 2025, the woman was found by community members, lying next to the road in Kaapmuiden. She was unconscious, and these good Samaritans called for assistance from the emergency services and the police,' Mdhluli said.
'She was then taken to the hospital for medical treatment, and police later discovered that she is the woman that they were looking for.'
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On Thursday, 3 July 2025, a farmer found the little girl's half-charred body and promptly reported it to the police, leading to a murder charge.
According to the investigation thus far, the victims were abandoned close to Kaapmuiden.
'The astute members intensified their investigation and used all available resources at their disposal to deal with the violent acts against the two vulnerable victims and were led to the suspect, who was cornered on Friday, 4 July 2025,' Mdhluli said.
Remanded in custody
Fakudze appeared at Kanyamazane Periodical Court on Monday, 7 July 2025, where the matter was postponed to 14 July 2025 for further investigation. He remains in custody.
Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, the acting provincial commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, has praised the arrest and stressed that police will continue to be on the lookout for cases of femicide and gender-based violence (GBVF).
The general urged victims not to withdraw such cases, emphasising that justice must prevail to combat GBVF.
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