Uncle: Taking Karabo's life like that is unacceptable
Karabo Mokoena's uncle says he helped raise her for the last 22 years and for her life to be taken so brutally is "unthinkable".
The 22 year-old's body was found badly burnt in a veld in Lyndhurst on 29 April.
27-year-old Sandile Mantsoe, who is said to be Mokoena's boyfriend, has been charged with her murder.
The visibly traumatised uncle, Tshepo Mokoena was speaking at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court - where Mantsoe made his first appearance.
Mokoena says his niece was always cheerful.
"She was very bubbly and intelligent. She was beautiful and always upfront. She was passionate about education," he says.
Mokoena says Karabo's parents are in shock.
"There is a lot of pain. This whole matter is now becoming national and the more people talk about it, it strains the family hence we decided that her parents shouldn't do media interviews. It's painful and this morning we were all crying," he says.
Mantsoe is facing charges of premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.
The NPA's Phindi Mjonondwane says they will oppose bail when Mantsoe makes his next appearance on 24 May.