A few days before the official national Women´s Day celebrations commenced, the body of an unknown woman was found floating in a river in Vhembe.

The woman, whose body was found with body parts missing, adds to the growing number of people killed for muti purposes in the area.

Earlier this year, the body of Ms Grace Chauke (46) of Mavambe Village outside Malamulele was found at some nearby bushes with some of her body parts missing. The killing caused an uproar in the village, with villagers forcing police to arrest a suspect whom they suspected to have had a hand in the killing.

No one has been arrested so far in connection with the case.

Before the dust could settle, another granny was killed at nearby Mahonisi village, also in Malamulele. Some of her body parts were found in a plastic bag near a local primary school. Five suspects, including a woman who is a neighbour of the gogo, were arrested in this case. They are at present in custody after being refused bail.

This latest murder, apparently at the hands human flesh merchants, has angered the community. The woman´s mutilated body was found at Dzondo River outside Vuwani on Sunday. The gruesome find has once again sent shock waves through the community, with many calling for the return of capital punishment.

According to Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, a group of teenage boys were herding cattle when they made the gruesome discovery. “When the body was retrieved from the water, it was discovered that both ears, eyelids, lips and the nose were missing. Both her hands had been removed from the wrist and flesh had been cut from her left thigh," said Mulaudzi.

He further indicated that the woman´s legs had been tied with a piece of cloth. At this stage, it has not been ascertained as to how long the body had been in the water. Mulaudzi said the police would leave no stone unturned in the hunt of those responsible for the woman´s murder. “We have assembled a dedicated task team to track down the suspect or suspects responsible for the murder. We will do all in our power to bring the peperpetrators to book,” he said.

He could not rule out the possiblity of a ritual murder, but said it would form part of their investigations.

A community leader, Mr Johannes Khambane, a long-time resident in the area, said he had been summoned to the scene at around 13:00 in the afternoon. He said he found many people there. People from the neighbouring villages of Dzwerani Manamani, Itsani Dzerani and Mugumo also came in numbers to have a glimpse of the gruesome find.

“I looked closely and found that her hands, intestines and other parts were missing. This is definitely a ritual murder, and by the look of things, the body has been in the water for a long time. The legs were tied as well,” he said. Khambane said there was woman from the community who had been missing for three weeks. He said the family of the missing woman had visited the mortuary and ascertained that the body was not hers.

The provincial commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lt Gen Amon Mashigo, condemned the incident in the strongest terms. “With the country celebrating Women’s Month, it is unthinkable that such deplorable acts of violence against women are still taking place. The police will not rest until the perpetrator/s of this incident is behind bars,” Mashigo said.

He also appealed to communities in the area to assist the police with their investigations and to come forward with information, should they have any.

The local traditional leader, Chief Tshililo Nduvheni of Dzwerani, described the incident as gruesome. She said it was the fourth incident of that nature in the area. "We are really shocked. This is our (women´s) month and we should have been celebrating it. Those greedy muti merchants made sure they killed her. We just wish that the perpetrators are found and brought to book."

She said incidents of that nature put the region in bad light and repelled investors.

Munna Ndi Nnyi Men´s Forum chairperson Mr Bardwell Mufunwaini was also shocked about the incident. "We have undertaken many campaigns regarding ritual murders and violence against women and children. We still find men perpertuating violence against women. This is cruelty at its worst and we urge the police to speed up their investigations and arrest the suspects," he said.

The police have opened a murder case and the body has been sent for a post mortem.