The body of a woman that was found in bushes along Southport beach on 18 November 2014 at 15:00 was positively identified as that of Ella Sophia Potgieter, 43, who went missing last Thursday, 13 November 2014. The victim was reported as missing by her husband after she failed to meet him at the beach later in the day as they had planned. Immediately after the missing person docket was opened at Southport police station, members from Search and Rescue, Port Shepstone K9 Unit, Port Shepstone police divers and TRT members, started searching along the beach. Information was gathered that she was last seen walking with a 23-year-old male on the beach on the day that she went missing. A 23-year-old man was arrested for another case of attempted murder that was reported at Southport SAPS where the victim was stabbed at a pub on 24 October 2014 after an argument.
On Tuesday, 18 November 2014 the suspect after being questioned about the missing person, took the police to a stretch of beach at Southport where the body of the missing woman was found. She was in an advanced state of decomposition. He also pointed out where her clothing and other items were buried in the sand. Post mortem was held and it was established that the cause of death was manual strangulation. The suspect was subsequently charged with murder and rape as it is suspected that she was raped before she was killed. The arrested suspect will appear today, 20 November 2014 in the Port Shepstone Magistrates’ Court. He also appeared in court yesterday, 19 November 2014 for the Attempted Murder case and was remanded.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant Mmamonnye Ngobeni expressed her appreciation towards the members for their perseverance in the search and for arresting the suspect. ‘We warn the criminals that they must stop their criminal acts otherwise they will spend their lives in prison this festive season,’ she said.
