/ 10 November 2003

Missing child turns up dead on a mine dump

The battered body of an 11-year-old girl kidnapped on Saturday was found close to a Johannesburg mine dump on Sunday, police reported. Sergeant Sanku Tsunke said the girl, Tina Benade, was reported missing from Jeppestown on Saturday.

Benade, her aunt and her cousin had been approached by an unidentified man who offered to sell the aunt two cellphones. Benade and her cousin left with the man to fetch the phones, which he said were at his residence a few blocks away.

The cousin then took fright and refused to go with the man. Benade did not return.

Police launched ”an intensive manhunt”, said Tsunke.

The body was found near a mine dump at the Denver offramp on the M2 East highway.

Tsunke said, ”It appeared that the body had been battered with a blunt object.

”A post mortem will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.”

A man was being held for questioning. – Sapa