Elderly Austrian nun gang-raped, murdered in South African convent

An 86-year-old nun has been gang-raped and murdered by robbers for a small amount of money in South Africa.

Police said Sister Gertrud Tiefenbacher was found dead by another nun at the Sacred Heart Home, in the eastern town of Ixopo.

The nun, an Austrian immigrant, had been gagged and bound with a cord from an electric typewriter.

Police have launched a manhunt for a group of men who are believed to have broken into the convent at the weekend.

According to Sister Gerald, another nun at the mission, the octogenarian had dedicated her life to uplifting the community. She was especially fond of her work with impoverished children.

“She had a very kind heart and was loved by everyone.”

The murder came as the South African government mobilised soldiers to keep the peace in areas hit by a spate of violent attacks targeting immigrants.