Linomtha Skeyi. Picture: Facebook / Women For Change The South African Police Service (Saps) in the Eastern Cape has confirmed the arrest of a 21-year-old man in connection with the murder of pupil Linomtha Skeyi. Skeyi’s body was discovered on Christmas Day in an open field behind the provincial Department of Social Development offices in Joza, Makhanda.
The 16-year-old had last been seen on the night of 23 December and wasreported missing on Christmas Eve, sparking widespread concern in the local community. The suspect handed himself over at Joza police station on Friday, 9 January 2026, following days of investigation. “The motive behind the murder is not clear at the moment, but forms part of the ongoing investigation,” Eastern Cape police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawisa said in a briefstatementon Sunday, 11 January.
The accused is scheduled to appear in Makhanda Magistrate Court on Monday, 12 January. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Majola Nkohli previously indicated that Skeyi had been returning from anumgidi— a traditional ceremony — when she was reprimanded by one of the elders around 10pm on the day she was last seen. She reportedly left home following the scolding, and the following day, she was reported missing. The authorities continue to investigate the incident to determine the events leading up to her tragic death.
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