Two university students who were brutally murdered recently were laid to rest on Saturday.
Mourners at the funeral of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana, 19, heard how the man arrested for her murder, burned her body before burying her remains.
Thousands of mourners, including government ministers, converged at East London’s Abbotsford Christian Centre to attend the funeral of the first-year student who was pursuing her BA degree in media and film studies.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said the suspect, a post office employee in Claremont, had a previous conviction for car hijacking for which he served five years in jail.
The 42-year-old man allegedly confessed, detailing Nene’s last hours.
Cele says when Nene returned to the Clareinch post office to collect her parcel like the suspect told her to, the man attacked her and she fought back but lost her balance and fell.
“He then raped her. In the middle of that she rose again and fought. He then got hold of an object and bashed her to death.
“He wrapped the girl’s body and put it into the boot of the car and took it to where he stays; he then burned the body, dug a shallow grave and put her in it,” Cele said.
FUNERAL: UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana,19
The suspect is back in court on November 5.
Meanwhile, hundreds of mourners gathered at the Jubilee Church in Parow where Jesse Hess, 19, a brilliant theology student at UWC was laid to rest.
Jesse and her 85-year-old grandfather were found murdered in their Parow home.
Sandy Hess said her niece was very spiritual and gave her heart to Jesus in 2015.
Her oupa, Chris Lategan, will be laid to rest this weekend.
Police said they were still hunting the killers of Jesse and Chris.
African News Agency