23-year-old Man Kills Girlfriend With A Hammer In South Africa

The deceased, Sinathi Magqazana

The Hermanus Magistrate's court, South Africa has arraigned a 24-year- old man, Khanyile Ramba, on Wednesday, September 15, for allegedly killing his girlfriend with a hammer.

Sinathi Magqazana, 23, was found dead in Zwelihle, outside Hermanus in the Western Cape, on Saturday, 11th of September.

According to her sister, Sinathi's boyfriend had hit her with a hammer on her head until she died. He then put her body in a black bag and left the house.

Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut, who confirmed the incident said the suspect handed himself to police.

National Prosecuting Authority provincial spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed Ramba appeared in the dock on charges of murder and malicious damage to property.

The case was postponed to Friday, September 17, for a bail profile to be compiled.

Magqazana's body was found in a refuse bag, allegedly at the door of her boyfriend's shack in the Marikana informal settlement.

Her father, Mthelezi Mbovale, told News24 he had been getting ready to go to work on Saturday morning when two locals came to call him.

"They said I must go to Marikana. I asked them 'why, what happened' and they said my daughter is dead," her father said.

"When I went there, I saw her because her head was sticking out outside the door. She had been put in a plastic bag and her head was black because of the blood. She had been beaten with a hammer. I don't remember much of what happened after that," he said.

Close friend Zimbini Mqikela said the night before the murder, Sinathi's boyfriend had come to where they had been hanging out and demanded she go with him.

"He had forced her and then he beat her. We tried to fight him," she said.

She was unsure of where they had gone, but claimed the boyfriend returned in the early hours of that morning, carrying a hammer and crying. They had chased him away, Mqikela said.

"The next morning, we heard of a woman lying at the shack. We went there and saw her body, in a black plastic. We were very shocked - Sinathi was a very respectful person who treated people well. She was quiet and went to church. She loved her friends. She didn't deserve to die this way."

Locals had since broken down the shack, Mqikela said, because "that is what is done when someone does wrong to another person." they said.