A murder case was opened by police in Meyerton in Gauteng on Tuesday after the body of a 69-year-old woman was found in a bathtub in a flat. Esmé Liebenberg, 72, a longtime friend of the deceased, Rina Groenewald, says on Thursday that she had last heard from Groenewald on August 26.

“We have been friends since 1970 and not a single day passed that we did not see each other or talk on the phone. This Monday night was the last I heard of Rina. She did read my WhatsApp message but did not respond. ”

“Rina’s husband, Anton, passed away in 2011 and she had no children. It was logical for her to move closer to her sister. She lived in Alberton all her years before retiring and worked as an administrative clerk at a large company, ”says Liebenberg.

“Afterwards, I was furious when I didn’t hear anything from Rina all week. So I decided to ask Jane for help. Jane’s daughters, Celeste and Tasha, went to the owner of the property where Rina rented on Tuesday. A locksmith had to open the door. They found Rina in the bath – she was purple and there were bruises on her neck, ”says Liebenberg.