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Western Cape police are investigating a case of murder after the body of a five-year-old girl was found in Broadway Soek Street in Nomzamo, Strand.

According to a police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, Minentle Lekhakha’s body was found on Sunday afternoon after she was reported missing on Saturday at about 8:30 pm.

“A murder case was opened and circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Anyone with any information about this incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111,” Van Wyk said.

Meanwhile, Western Cape Social Development MEC, Albert Fritz, condemned Minentle’s murder “in the strongest terms possible”.

“DSD social workers from the Metro East regional office are in the process of contacting the family and will render trauma and bereavement counselling. The gruesome circumstances of this case, where it is said that the child’s eyes were gouged out, is ominously reminiscent of another recent case of the murder of 33-year old, Unathi Booi,” Fritz said.

According to the statement, Booi’s body was also found with the eyes gouged out in Zone 26, Langa. Fritz said social workers from the department’s Metro North regional office had made contact with the family and would render support during this time.

Fritz said that “violence against women and children is completely unacceptable”.

“This cannot be the new norm. I am appealing to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to conduct a thorough investigation and to make arrests as soon as possible. I continue to call on parents and communities to be extra vigilant of their children,” he said.

– African News Agency (ANA)