Body found on birthday

Update

GEORGE NEWS - What should have been a day of celebration, turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when Joan Singrew's body was discovered near Great Brak River on Monday 25 November, her 54th birthday.

To add insult to injury, Monday also marked the start of this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign.

Singrew was last seen at her home in St Mary Street at 07:30 on Thursday 21 November. Friends and family became concerned after she didn't arrive at work. This was very unlike her.

When her daughter got home after work that evening and there was still no sign of her mother, she reported her missing at the Conville police station. The family also posted about her disappearance on Facebook.

Four days later, at about 14:50, a search party led by the Great Brak police and a K9 unit discovered a woman's body in the bushes outside Great Brak.

A sniffer dog guided its handler to the area next to the footpath near Charles Street, where they first found a Go George jacket, allegedly belonging to Singrew, in the undergrowth. Shortly thereafter her lifeless body was found.

According to information obtained by George Herald, it appears that she was strangled.

Singrew's family confirmed via a Facebook post on Tuesday evening that it was indeed her body found in Great Brak. Southern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Chris Spies confirmed her identity in a media release yesterday, Wednesday 27 November.

Judged by the numerous Facebook posts and comments posted after Singrew was reported missing, it is clear that she was a loved and cherished member of her community.

George Herald reached out to the family via a family friend, but they declined to comment at this stage.

Spies said the Great Brak police opened a murder investigation. "The motive for the killing is yet to be established. A post-mortem to determine the cause of death is scheduled for this week," he said. By the time of going to print, arrests still had to be made.

Joan Singrew