A 23-year-old woman, Mudau Rothe, has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing a 34-year-old man to death following a dispute over payment for sexual services in Limpopo, South Africa.

Rothe, who was described as a sex worker, appeared before the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Friday, August 7, 2026, facing a murder charge and was remanded in custody.

The case was adjourned until August 13 for pre-trial profiling and further police investigations.

According to the State, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) responded to a complaint at a residential address in Ha-Mphego Village, within the Thohoyandou policing precinct of the Vhembe District, on Thursday, August 6.

Upon arrival, police officers found the 34-year-old man with multiple penetrating injuries. Emergency Medical Services personnel attended the scene and certified him dead.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident allegedly followed a verbal altercation between Rothe and the deceased. The charge sheet reportedly listed a dispute over payment for sexual services as the alleged motive for the confrontation.

Rothe was arrested at the scene and detained pending her first court appearance. She was not required to enter a plea during the proceedings.

The State informed the court that investigations were continuing, including forensic analysis of the alleged murder weapon and a post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death and mechanism of the injuries.

The magistrate consequently postponed the case to allow the investigating officer to complete the docket and for the accused to undergo the required assessment in accordance with court procedures.

Limpopo Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers, said gender-based violence and violent crime remained serious concerns in the province, while reaffirming the SAPS commitment to conducting thorough investigations and ensuring that justice is served.

The investigation is continuing under the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.