Close friends of Junior Netsai Shonhai, who was reported missing and later found dead, have described her life as incredible, sparked by kindness and joy.

She sold perfumes for a living.

Shonhai, 25, went missing eight days ago (July 17) after disappearing from her residence in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg.

On Monday, her friends representing her family reached out to The Star to report her missing.

Her best friend, Joze Taruvinga, on Wednesday informed the paper that his friend had died.

Taruvinga said Shonhai spent a day with one of her friends at a nearby hair salon who later dropped her off at her place.

“Shonhai was on a call with her boyfriend around 7pm who is based in Cape Town. At about 7.22pm she then told him she needed to attend to people who phoned and waited for her outside. She promised to call him back but she never returned. The family tried to call the last number she answered before disappearing. However, it did not work,” he said.

Taruvinga said Shonhai’s sister reported her as a missing person at Moffatview police station.

He said the landlord was at work that evening and he told them he was surprised to find Shonhai’s house wide open and her cellphone ringing non-stop on top of her bed.

Desperate to find her, the friends shared information about her on social media platforms, including Facebook and X.

“Shonhai is no more. We received a clue on Facebook while looking for her. We are sad,” said Taruvinga.

He shared a screenshot of a clue about Shonhai’s whereabouts.

According to the post, “Please try Cleveland police station for more information. We passed by the body of a girl who looks similar to the one in the photo. She was deceased but it seemed like she was dumped on the scene because there was no blood on the scene but she was covered in blood on her face and clothes. Place: City Deep on your way to the market. Time: 5.45. I saw a Cleveland police van on the scene, you can ask there for more information.”

Taruvinga praised Shonhai as being hard-working.

“She lived an incredible life sparked with kindness and joy. As a young business lady, selling perfumes, she was ever smiling and open to anyone as her marketing strategy. She is really irreplaceable. As her closest friends, we feel broken, devastated, she really didn’t deserve to die like that. We all wish that justice will be served,” said Taruvinga.

Another friend, Reggie Kambunda, said: “We lost a friend, a bubbly character, a generous heart always ready to help. We were robbed and it’s so heartbreaking. You will never be forgotten, Junior. Thank you for the beautiful memories.”

Another friend, Kuda Scooter, said: “Junior was a different type of energy that brought laughter and love. I called her Juju cause I treated her like my young sister, she always came to me like I was her big brother. I really do not know how to feel about her passing. Until now I can’t even believe because Juju was a fighter, a go-getter, this is hard pill for me to swallow.”

Gauteng provincial SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that the body that was found in the Cleveland area was that of a woman reported missing at Moffatview police station.

Masondo said the family last saw her on July 17. Cleveland police found a body of a woman facing down on July 18, meaning when her family reported her missing on July 19 she had already been murdered.

“Police are investigating a case of murder. No arrests have been made yet. Police are appealing to anyone with information to to call the nearest police station or 8600 10111,” said Masondo.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za