Limpopo police have arrested a man for allegedly killing his girlfriend, who was reported missing in January, after her body was discovered in a shallow grave in the backyard.

Police officers made the "grisly discovery" at ga-Setati village outside Polokwane on Friday, police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said.

The 27-year-old woman disappeared on 2 January around 20:00 after a visit to her boyfriend at Moletji ga-Setati.

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A tip-off then led police to an area at premises belonging to the boyfriend’s family.

"What was initially thought to be a case of a missing person that was reported at Seshego Police Station in January… turned out to be a gruesome murder that was concealed for almost five months," Mojapelo said.