Unknown woman shot dead in Laudium field
· Citizen
An unknown woman found murdered in an open field in Laudium yesterday will likely become another statistic with no suspect or motive to probe by the police.
A photo of a woman’s body, found in a field, was shared widely on social media this week.
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Woman’s body in Laudium field
Tshwane district police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk said on Monday at about 7am, Laudium police were informed of a body lying in the veld.
“Upon arrival at the scene, police found the body of an unknown white adult female.
“Preliminary observations revealed she had sustained two gunshot wounds to the head.
“Emergency Medical Services attended the scene and declared her dead,” he said.
Van Dyk added residents living in the vicinity were questioned and reported hearing gunshots at about 5.30am, but none of them went outside to investigate.
“No suspects have been identified at this stage.
No suspects identified
“Crime Scene Management experts attended the scene and processed it for possible clues and evidential material.
“The identity of the deceased remains unknown, and investigations are continuing.”
Criminal law expert Cornelia van Graan said South Africans have become so desensitised to crime and scared of criminals that people in the vicinity hear gunfire and not respond.
“It is a sad day a woman would be shot and not a single member of her community responded,” she said.
“It is time police and community leaders develop programmes for communities to report crime anonymously without fear of retaliation.
“The war against women and children is raging and the criminals are winning.
War against women and children
“It is time more proactive policing measures are put in place and communities become involved in crime-prevention actions,” she added.
University of Limpopo criminology and criminal justice department head Prof Witness Maluleke said gender-based violence is real and the proliferation of illegal and legal firearms is common in SA communities.
“Worryingly, a human’s life is currently taken for granted. “We keep on witnessing similar cases where firearms are used irresponsibly and less monitored; we have become a country with little care for humanity,” he said.
Maluleke said killing is becoming a last resort for personal conflicts and to conceal evidence irrespective of race, gender and age.
“While females are mostly targeted, even males are prone to merciless killings.
“Females are capable of committing murder. We are entering a territory of criminality, with firearms used as toys, and our policing system is sleeping on it.”