The heartbreak in Soweto has deepened into fury after the decomposing body of 20-year-old Ithabeleng ‘Material’ Motleleng was discovered hidden beneath her boyfriend’s bed—a full week after she was last seen alive.
Motleleng, a young mother from Rustenburg, was reported missing after visiting her boyfriend, 27-year-old Zacharia Nonyane, on May 25. Her body was found on May 30, wrapped in a blanket and carpet, naked, with nails and hair missing, and her bloodied clothes allegedly dumped in a nearby municipal bin.
🕯️ A Devastating Discovery
It was Motleleng’s cousin, Nthabiseng, who made the horrific discovery—just three streets away from the family home. The couple had only been dating for three months, but those close to Motleleng described a relationship plagued by abuse and control.
“She had started pulling away from him. We were worried, but we never thought it would end like this,” said a relative.
🎭 Suspect Helped in Search While Hiding the Truth
In a cruel twist, Nonyane participated in the family’s frantic search for Ithabeleng—all while allegedly concealing her body under his bed. His calculated deception shocked both the family and community.
He was arrested soon after the body was found and appeared in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on June 3, where he declined to apply for bail. Some family and community members expressed frustration at this decision, saying they had hoped he would appear in public and explain his actions.
🔥 Community Grief Turns to Rage
Outraged by the brutality of the crime, community members demolished Nonyane’s shack in retaliation and attempted to set it alight. Nearby residents intervened to stop the blaze, but the anger in the neighborhood is palpable.
“We’re tired of burying our sisters and daughters. Material didn’t deserve this,” one protester shouted outside the shack.
👶 A Child Left Behind, A Family Shattered
Motleleng leaves behind a young son, now in the care of grieving relatives in Rustenburg. Her mother and cousins say their hearts are shattered, and that her death is a painful reminder of the country’s escalating femicide crisis.
🚨 A Call for Justice — and Change
As police continue investigating, calls for justice ring out across Soweto, where the case has become a painful symbol of South Africa’s ongoing battle with gender-based violence.
“We need more than arrests,” said a local activist. “We need protection, we need action, and we need it now.”
Ithabeleng ‘Material’ Motleleng’s name joins a long, heartbreaking list—but her community is demanding that she not be forgotten.
