Hundreds of villagers in Vhufuli outside Thohoyandou and surrounding villages braved heavy rains to bury a local pupil.

Ms Rendani Khumela (23), a pupil at Khadzinge Secondary School, who met an untimely death when she was allegedly hacked to death by her boyfriend, was buried on Saturday at the local cemetery.

The funeral, attended by local leaders, structures and many community members, was characterised by rampant emotions as family members cried openly during the funeral service. The deceased's only baby, Rinae (4), cried hysterically, asking where her mother was. Some people even fainted during the service.

Khumela was on her way to school early on Wednesday, when her boyfriend allegedly ambushed her, hacking her on the neck with a panga and leaving her for dead. The incident happened some distance away from her home and not far from her school.

The boyfriend is said to have fled the scene and was later found hanging in his room after committing suicide.

The incident added to the growing number of violent incidents perpetrated against women in Vhembe in recent times. The same week she was killed, a woman was stabbed to death by her husband at Tsianda.

Speaking during the funeral, the local traditional leader, Chief Kuvhanganani Mphigalale, said he was shocked by the incident. “This is very rare and strange  in our community and we condemn it in the strongest terms. It happened in broad daylight and there were people out there who could have stopped the whole incident,” he added.

The deceased's older sister, Ms Nyambeni Khumela, said the killing of her sister had left them shocked and with sore hearts. “We are greatly saddened. My sister has a young girl who will grow up without a mother. Her death has left a void which will not be easy to fill. We are just putting all in the hands of God that He guides us in this time of need,” she said.