Faizel Patel – Cii News & Agencies (20-08-12)

It is a crime that has shocked the country. Police have assigned a team of their most senior detectives to investigate the stoning to death of 3 children in Limpopo. The bodies of the missing children aged between 10 and 12 were found on Saturday. They had been missing for three days.

President Jacob Zuma has condemned their brutal killings in the strongest terms and has urged law enforcement agencies to work around the clock to bring the culprits to book.

What is most heart wrenching is the grief of the children’s grandmother Elizabeth Kekana who’s pain has intensified because the family has no money to bury the children.

The 3 children were sent to the Mantadi Child and Youth Care Centre in June when Elizabeth went for an eye operation. The arrangements for their return was in the process when tragedy struck.

Johana, Richard and Bafana Kekana’s hands were tied with shoelaces and bloody stones were discovered near the crime scene. Police may suspect that Johana may have been raped before the children were stoned to death.

No arrests have been made yet and the motive is not known.