A missing 14-year-old girl has been found brutally murdered with her body left naked and mutilated.

Likhona Fose was found dead in Roodepoort, in Gauteng Province, in South Africa, after she went missing on Saturday, 31st May, at around 8pm when she was heading to a party.

Her cousin Mthobeli Fose, with whom Likhona lived along with her grandmother after her mother passed away, told local media: "She often goes out with her friends at night. Her friends are all boys, and she’s never just disappeared. I was not home for the weekend.

Likhona Fose, 14, poses in undated photo. She was found dead in Roodepoort, South Africa. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)

"I went to visit my sister in Daveyton and only found out on Sunday around 2pm, when I got home, that she’s been missing since Saturday."

And Mthobeli said that Likhona's friends said they had not seen her Saturday evening, adding that she had been spending time with other friends.

Their neighbour, named as Nomsa Mokoena, said that after her disappearance, her friends and family organised a search party.

One of her friends eventually raised the alarm, saying that a body had been dumped in the Braamfischerville neighbourhood.

Mthobeli went to the scene and recognised his cousin, saying that she is heartbroken at the idea that her cousin may have been raped.

Mthobeli said: "She loved school and was brilliant at school."

Likhona has been described by her family as "full of life and light" and was known for her warmth and joy. She had hoped to one day become a lawyer.

Illustrative image shows a street in Roodepoort, South Africa, undated. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)

The Gauteng police have launched a murder investigation.

They confirmed that Likhona's underwear was missing from her body, which had suffered multiple injuries and is now being examined forensically.

No arrests had been reported at the time of writing.

The investigation is ongoing.

(Joseph Golder / newsX)