A Wolseley mother’s worst nightmare came true when authorities dug up the body of her missing daughter from a shallow grave in the small town on Monday, November 2. The last time Francis Pienaar spoke to her daughter Mishay (25), was on September 3 and her daughter promised she would be home soon.
Francis opened a missing person’s case at the local police station, and earlier this week, her daughter’s body was confirmed to be one of two bodies dug up from shallow graves in the Pine Valley informal settlement.
Wolseley was first rocked by the murder of local librarian Bernadine Frans, who was 21 years old at the time of her death. Siyamnkela Sobambela was arrested after he was seen dragging a body on October 24, he has since been charged with three murders, one being the murder of Frans.
On October 28, residents in Pine Valley torched Sobambela’s trailer in anger.
“I last saw her (Mishay) on September 3. Her boyfriend is staying in Pine Valley side and sometimes she will come and stay at home for a few days. I received a call from her during September and she told me she will come home and she will bring her clothes. She even sent an SMS, but she didn’t come,” Francis told IOL. “I feel sad for the way they found the body, and the way she was murdered and buried. Now I am relieved because the detectives gave me the results. It is her. I was in forensics in Ceres and they asked if I wanted to see the body and I said no, because the body is damaged and I don’t want to see her like this.”
Mishay will be buried on Saturday, November 7 and leaves behind her four-year-old son Vynand.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, Sobambela is likely to face more charges as investigations continue.
He is currently in custody and is expected to appear in court on December 9.
Picture: Twitter