NC woman beaten to death with rock

ANOTHER brutal murder has rocked a Northern Cape community, after a single mother of two from Sutherland was “beaten beyond recognition” with a rock, allegedly by a neighbouring farmworker.

The body of Riana Louw du Toit, 44, was discovered in her vehicle on the R354 between Sutherland and Merweville on Tuesday morning.

The bloodied rock that was apparently used as a murder weapon was also found in the vehicle.

Louw du Toit is believed to have given a lift to a worker from a neighbouring farm, whom she apparently knew, while she was on her way to Rogge Cloof Guest Farm, where she worked as a customer liaison and public relations officer, on Tuesday morning.

It is alleged that the worker threw a rock at Louw du Toit after he was dropped off and then moved around the vehicle and started hitting her on the head with an even larger rock, causing injuries that led to her death.

Her body was discovered by colleagues from Rogge Kloof Guest Farm, who went to look for her when she did not arrive for work that morning.

They described her head injuries as “extremely severe” and noted that she had been “injured beyond recognition”.

Members of the community later apprehended a man who works on a neighbouring farm.

It is believed that the man was found hiding in the veld, not far from the scene where Louw du Toit’s body was found.

Police spokesperson, Captain Olebogeng Tawana, yesterday confirmed that a 41-year-old man had been arrested and charged with murder following the incident and would be appearing in the Sutherland Magistrate’s Court today.

Tawana could, however, not confirm or disclose any further information relating to the incident, following enquiries about whether anything was stolen from Louw du Toit.

The widowed Louw du Toit Riana Louw du Toit.

Picture: www.roggecloof. com leaves behind two teenage children.

Lente van Rooyen, a resident from Merweville, said yesterday that the gruesome murder had sent shock waves through the normally peaceful areas of Sutherland and surrounds.

“Riana was a beautiful, loving person, who will be dearly missed,” Van Rooyen said.