Riddled with bullet holes after mysterious phone call: Body of missing Gqeberha baker (29) found dumped in Motherwell bushes

Scores of furious residents took to the streets of New Brighton in Gqeberha on Monday after the body of a missing 29-year-old cake baker was discovered dumped in the bushes in Motherwell, riddled with bullet holes.

Anathi Maguga, who owned the small business Cakes by Anathi and formed part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Entrepreneurship Programme, vanished on Thursday afternoon after receiving a mysterious phone call.

Following the call, she got into her red Volkswagen Polo and drove away from her New Brighton home. She was subsequently reported missing.

Two days later, at around 12:00 on Saturday, her body was discovered in the bushes in Motherwell. Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge confirmed that Maguga’s red Volkswagen Polo was found abandoned on Dabadaba Street in NU5, Motherwell.

[do_widget id=super_rss_reader-3] –> –> Police have opened a murder docket, though no arrests have been made yet.

Maguga’s brutal killing has sparked outrage across the community. Demonstrators marched to the local police station on Monday holding placards reading “Justice for Anathi,” “SAPS be visible,” and “Rest in power, Anathi.”

Residents have given the police an ultimatum to track down and arrest her killer by Friday.

Community members outside the station described Maguga as a peaceful young woman who bothered no one and worked hard to earn an honest living selling cakes. Protesters added that women in the area are living in constant terror, unable to walk down the street, go to the shops, or travel to work without fearing for their lives.

Nkosomzi Damana, a fellow home-based baker and friend who often bumped into Maguga at the bake shop to share business ideas, said her murder has left him terrified and heartbroken.

“It has affected me in the sense that I’m also a baker. I’m also running my own business from home,” Damana said.

“What has happened is still very painful. I don’t know if I can recover from what happened.”

Tukela Zumani, leader of the Mayibuye Civic Movement, joined the family and residents from Wards 14 and 17 during Monday’s march.

“As part of our ongoing and consistent call for an end to the ugly scourge of gender-based violence and femicide in our society, the Mayibuye Civic Movement has joined the march of the community of wards 14 and 17 in New Brighton,” Zumani said.

“These people who you see before you here are not only marching for justice for Anathi, but for justice for every individual who has fallen victim to this ugliness, to this evil.”

Zumani noted that earlier on Monday morning, members had sat in court for a separate gender-based violence case involving a young nurse who was beaten to death by her boyfriend.

“This is just a small part of our ongoing fight against this ugliness and this evil that is plaguing our society,” Zumani said.

The Port Elizabeth Rape Crisis Centre Trust also condemned the murder, demanding urgent action rather than mere condolences from authorities.

“Anathi’s death is not an isolated tragedy,” the organisation stated, adding that it highlights the ongoing crisis of violence against women and children.

The centre called on the government to treat gender-based violence and femicide as a national emergency by deploying stronger visible policing in high-risk areas, fixing street lighting, maintaining working CCTV cameras, and properly funding victim support services. They also demanded that police act quickly to catch the killers while keeping Maguga’s family informed with dignity.

“Failure to act promptly allows violence to continue and deepens public mistrust,” the centre said.

Following a briefing from district South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership on the murder probe, Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe visited the Maguga home alongside senior police officials to pay her respects.

“I visited the Maguga family to pay my deepest condolences following the tragic loss of Anathi Maguga,” Lobishe said.

“I also wanted to assure the family of the ongoing efforts by SAPS to investigate this matter and ensure that justice takes its course.”

While urging residents to work with the police and avoid doing anything that could jeopardise the investigation, the mayor also warned politicians against using the tragedy to score points.

“The suffering of the Maguga family must not be turned into an instrument for political opportunism,” she said.

“The fight against gender-based violence and femicide transcends political affiliations.”

Motherwell police are continuing their investigation into the murder. Anyone with information that could help crack the case is urged to contact the investigating officer, Detective Lieutenant Colonel Ntshangase, on 079 302 6676, or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

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