A granny who was supposed to be enjoying her bonus days met a tragic end when she was brutally raped and strangled and left stark naked, before the thugs fled with her belongings.

The incident happened at Mukula-Luvhumbu outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo on Saturday last week.

Gogo Muofhe Mapanzule (80) stayed alone at her hut next to her daughter’s house and it was only realized that she had died when her granddaughter went to check on her in the morning. “It was our normal routine to go and check on her each morning as she stayed alone, but on that fateful morning I only went to check on her at about eight,” said Catherine Nedambale, who served as the minder of the old lady.

Nedambale said she was shocked when she arrived at the gogo’s hut to find an iron bar on the ground and the door slightly open.

She said she realised that the door had been forced open and she was met by the naked body of her gran, who appeared lifeless. “Her belongings were scattered all over the hut and it was clear that something was very wrong. I tried to wake her up but could see that she was dead,” she said.

“I have never been so shocked and this will linger in my mind for a long time. People can be ruthless sometimes; how could such a defenseless gogo be killed in such a barbaric and ruthless way? She was no threat to anybody and they could have just done what they wanted and left her alone without touching her,” she said.

Selinah Khohomela, the gogo’s eldest daughter, was overcome with grief. “My mother died a terrible death. I don’t even know why this could have happened to her. She was a much-loved person and we did not expect her to leave us in such a horrible manner,” she said. Khohomela said she deplores the way her mother died. “Imagine a defenseless granny of her age being strangled and raped. These people must be found and face the full wrath of the law,” she said.

She said the family was sadly awaiting the post mortem results that will determine exactly how she had died. “We were robbed of a very loving mother who made sure that we got whatever we wanted even at her age. We will never forget her and she will be sorely missed,” she said, with grief written all over her face. “I have accepted her death, but I will never forgive the murderers; they do not deserve to live with people but with wild animals in the bush,” she said.

Police spokesperson of the Limpopo police in Vhembe Insp Nkanukeni Raedani confirmed the incident and said a murder case had been opened. “We can now confirm the incident and that the suspect is unknown at this stage. Further progress will be communicated to the public in due course,” he said.

Meanwhile, the gogo’s family is making an appeal to the nation at large to assist them in their time of need. “We are experiencing difficulties in the preparation of her funeral as no one in the family is working, and we do not even know what to do,” said Khohomela. She said the family would appreciate any form of help, be it cash or food.