Smanga Kumalo (Western Cape) – A third man was arrested on Friday in connection with the gang rape, murder and mutilation of Bredasdorp teenager Anene Booysen, Western Cape police said.

Captain Frederick van Wyk said the 23-year-old man, from the same area, was arrested at 9.30am. Van Wyk said: “He will be charged and will also appear in the Bredasdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday.”

Two other men, aged 21 and 22, were already in police custody, facing murder and rape charges.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Western Cape spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said the 21-year-old would appear in court on Monday. Once the man had appeared, the case would be postponed to Tuesday to coincide with the appearance of the 22-year-old, who Booysen identified shortly before she died in hospital.

He made his first court appearance earlier in the week.

Booysen, 17, was left for dead at a construction site near her home, in the early hours of Saturday morning, after visiting a sports bar. She had reportedly worked as a cleaner for Asla Construction.

It was reported that her throat had been slit, all her fingers and both legs were broken. It is also believed a broken glass bottle had been lodged in her, her stomach had been cut open.

Police said Booysen died in hospital around 10pm on Saturday.

On Thursday, President Jacob Zuma described the crime as “shocking”, “cruel” and “inhumane”.

“Impose the harshest sentences on such crimes, as part of a concerted campaign to end this scourge in our society,” he said.

“It has no place in our country. We must never allow ourselves to get used to these acts of base criminality to our women and children,” he explained.