Residents of the small village of Shaminyami in the Njakanjaka area experienced a huge shock last Wednesday, when a 19-year-old girl was allegedly attacked and beaten to death by her boyfriend.

According to the police, it is alleged that Ntsutsheko Baloyi (19) attacked his girlfriend, Khavisani Mthombeni, over a cell phone. Khavisani was coming from a local church when the alleged attack took place. He apparently took her cell phone after the incident.

W/O Kedibone Mabatha of the police at Waterval said that the police had arrested Baloyi the day after the incident. He confirmed that when Baloyi was arrested, he was found in possession of the victim's cell phone.

"The incident happened just next to the victim's home. Neighbours said that they had only heard a scream from the victim, saying she was being attacked," he said.

Mabatha added that they had opened a murder case, but that their investigations were continuing.

Baloyi appeared in the Waterval Regional Court and the case was postponed to Friday, 6 July (today). He remains in custody.

Khavisani was a Grade 11 pupil at Marholeni High School. The victim's uncle, Mr Million Mthombeni, said that the family was greatly saddened about their niece's death. "We are very angry. She was not supposed to die like that. This is very bad and has traumatized the whole family," he said. Mthombeni added that he wanted to see justice take its course. "Somebody must pay here,” he said.

Baloyi is a Grade 12 pupil at Hluvuka High School in the nearby Nkuzana village.