A man was arrested for the murder of a woman whose decomposed body was discovered last year in the chimney of a Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries building in Pretoria.

The 34-year-old is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday on a murder charge, Tshwane police spokesperson Captain Daniel Mavimbela said in a statement.

The woman, 28, was reported missing on December 22 last year, a day after she disappeared from work during a tea break, Mavimbela said.

At the time, she was employed by a company which rendered a private service within the department.

Her body was discovered six days later by a security guard during the department's Christmas break.

"Detective Constable Jeremiah Mpiti had to overcome a lack of direct evidence by piecing together facts through a meticulous investigation, leading to the arrest of a 34-year-old man in Mamelodi on Friday," Mavimbela added. 

Sunnyside station commander Brigadier Ramakamakama Kekana expressed gratitude to those who had assisted the police, saying the initial stage of investigations "resembled an unsolvable jigsaw puzzle".

"We call upon members of the public to partner with the police and blow the whistle on any form of abuse that is directed at women and children," Kekana said.

A protest outside the court, where the man was due to appear, was held by members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu). It was not immediately clear whether the woman was a member.