A seventeen-year-old is expected to appear in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the murder of Overberg High School pupil Deveney Nel.
Police on Saturday said they had made a breakthrough in their investigation following the discovery of 16-year-old Deveney’s body in a school storeroom last week.
She was stabbed to death. Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said: “Deveney Nel was reported missing after failing to return from school. An extensive search was launched.
“Since the discovery of the body of the female learner, serious violent crimes detectives have been hard at work pursuing several leads.”
“The 17-year-old suspect was arrested by the detectives on Friday evening and charged with murder.
He is expected to appear in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court on Monday.”
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile applauded the SAPS members’ work, saying the fight against crimes targeting women, children and other vulnerable groups was intensifying.
“We will spare no resources in getting to the perpetrators of crime.
Gender-based violence and femicide is a priority for the police,” said Patekile.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais welcomed the arrest.
“Our confidence in the SAPS investigation under the personal command of Brigadier Leon Hanana has been confirmed. We request the community to allow the court case to take its course so that justice can be done, and anyone with additional information to contact the police urgently,” Marais said.
Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation executive director Billy Claasen also applauded the work of the SAPS in the case.
“We are of the view that while (the suspect) has the right to apply for bail, the State and the police should oppose bail in this case.
“The State and police should be harsher on cases like these. South Africa has a new pandemic, and it is called gender-based violence. It is a cold war against our poor and innocent women and children,” Claasen said.
“The arrest is a breakthrough in this murder case and in the fight against gender-based violence. We applaud Brigadier Hannana and the investigating officers for a job well done.”
Cape Times