The body of a missing matriculant was discovered on the same day she was due to get her NSC results.
Sisipho Mayile, 21, was last seen by her family on 14 January as she left with her friends to go to a local shebeen in Hermanus.
Her uncle Eric Tenge, 40, says they had been looking for his niece for a week before her decomposing body was found last Friday.
He says according to her friends, she had left the shebeen with another girl and a man, while she was also seen with an older man.
“The older man said that when he walked away from Sisipho, he heard two gunshots and he ran into a yard, when he checked the street, he saw her still walking,” says the uncle.
The family started searching for Sisipho on Saturday and her cellphone had been ringing up until Monday.
“When we found her body, she didn’t have her phone with her.
“No one knows who dumped her body there, she had been shot,” says Eric.
“The police have not been able to confirm if that is in fact my niece but we know that is her because of the clothes she wore when we found her.
Police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the decomposing body of a female was found in the bushes near Camphill bridge in Hermanus.
“A murder case docket was opened for investigation.
“A post-mortem and DNA test will be conducted to determine the cause of death and to identify the person.”
Twigg says after the discovery, the community rioted and three houses were set alight.
“Cases of arson were opened.
“Police are on the ground and will remain in the area until we are satisfied that calm has been restored,” he says.