Meghan Markle pays tribute to murdered South African student as a ‘personal gesture’

The Duchess of Sussex has visited the memorial to a murdered South African student as a ‘personal gesture’ after ‘closely following the tragic story’, Buckingham Palace said.

Earlier this week Meghan paid tribute at the post office where 19-year-old University of Cape Town student Uyinene Mrwetyana was raped and murdered last month.

The crime has sparked outrage and once more highlighted the issue of high rates of violence against women in the country.

The makeshift memorial decorated with flower bouquets and condolonce messages at the Clareinch Post Office in the Claremont suburb in Cape Town where Uyinene Mrwetyana, 19, was raped and killed

Meghan wrote on a yellow ribbon left at the scene in the local language Xhosa: ‘We stand together in this situation. Harry and Meghan September 26, 2019’, according to images taken by Sun royal correspondent Emily Andrews.

It joined dozens of coloured ribbons which were left in tribute to the popular teenager, known as Nene.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: ‘We can confirm that earlier this week The Duchess made a private visit to the memorial of Uyinene Mrwetyana.

‘Having closely followed the tragic story, it was a personal gesture she wanted to make.’

Local schoolgirls wanted to take pictures of Meghan during her visit, according to The Sun, but were stopped by her Met police security team. 

Aaliyah Jacobs, 17, whose high school is opposite the post office told the publication that her visit had meant ‘so much’. 

‘It means a lot that she came to our community and paid tribute without showing off without any publicity. She was being genuine,’ she said.  

Uyinene ‘Nene’ Mrwetyana, 19, was bludgeoned to death with a post office scale in Claremont, it is claimed, after she was allegedly lured inside by an employee.

The University of Cape Town student had gone to collect a parcel but was told to come back later and found the post office worker alone, it is alleged. 

Ms Mrwetyana (pictured) had gone to collect a parcel but was told to come back later and found the suspect alone, it is alleged

A 42-year-old male post office employee has been arrested over the killing.

Last year South Africa recorded a 6.9 per cent increase in the numbers of murders countrywide.

There were an average 57 murders a day and at least 137 sexual offences committed every day, according to official figures, in a country of 57million.

Uyinene ‘Nene’ Mrwetyana, 19, was bludgeoned to death with a post office scale in Claremont, it is claimed, after she was allegedly lured inside by an employee

Women Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said more than 30 women were killed by their spouses last month alone.

National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise slammed the ‘senseless killings’ of women in the country.

‘It is clear that a war has been declared against women and girl children… it cannot be business as usual.

‘Extraordinary interventions are called upon to bring an end to these senseless acts of lawlessness. This is a crisis,’ she said.