The story of Patronicia Mandy Jordaan is a stark reminder that with everything going on, gender-based violence (GBV) is still a raging epidemic in South Africa.
Five suspects nabbed for brutal teen murder
As reported by Citizen, five suspects have been arrested and charged with the heinous murder and rape of the 14-year-old teenager from Helenvale, Port Elizabeth.
In a statement, police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu revealed that a multidisciplinary operation launched over the weekend led to the arrest of the suspects believed to be involved in the killing of the 14-year-old.
“Early on Saturday morning, 9 January 2021 at about 06:00, the hunt for the suspects began and at about 07.15, the first two suspects were arrested at a house in Old Stanford Road. A few minutes later, three other suspects were rounded up at houses in Bongo and Pienaar Streets. All suspects have gang affiliations and are aged between 18 and 33 years old,” Naidu said.
By this time, Jordaan’s body had already been discovered and detectives had a clear idea of who was responsible for her death. However, according to Naidu, “further arrests are expected.”
What exactly happened to Patronicia Jordaan?
The last time Jordaan’s family saw her alive was on Monday, 4 January. Her relative told police that they last encountered the 14-year-old on Kobus Road, not too far from her home.
Three days later, on the morning of Thursday, 7 January, the teen’s mutilated body was found dumped in a bushy area between Gelvandale and Algoa Park.
From witness testimony gathered thus far, it’s believed that Jordaan was murdered by people she knew. According to Naidu, there are eyewitnesses who saw the 14-year-old a day after she was last seen by her relative.
“It is further alleged that on Tuesday evening, 5 January 2021 at about 21:30, Ms Jordaan was in the accompany of 12 males at a house in Bongo Street which is used for smoking drugs,” the police spokesperson revealed.
Piecing together the evidence, it’s believed that the attack on Jordaan started at the residence in question. The police confirmed that the teen was gang-raped shortly before she left the premises in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, with six males.
Between this time and when the body was discovered a day later, is when authorities believe Jordaan was stabbed to death.
The five suspects are expected to appear before the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court, on Monday where the State will push to have them remanded in custody for the duration of the judicial process.
“Violence against children is totally intolerable therefore we will ensure that these perpetrators are denied bail,” Eastern Cape police commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga said in a statement.