Mpumalanga: Semi-decomposed body of a man discovered in a stream

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga has announced that a man’s body was recently recovered in Tonga, outside of Komatipoort.

According to SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, the remains were discovered by community members on January 6, 2023.

“Community members in Kamaqhekeza, Tonga, outside of Komatipoort were rendered speechless by the grisly discovery of a partially decomposed male body on January 6, 2023. Mohlala stated, “According to information, the unidentified person was discovered floating in a stream that runs through the construction area next to a bridge on the R571 road between Mananga Port of Entry and Komatipoort, which separates Block C and Kamaqhekeza.”

Following the discovery, provincial law enforcement personnel were dispatched to the crime scene. It was later discovered that the man had been deceased for a considerable amount of time, and due to the state of his body’s decomposition, his face had become unrecognizable.

The mystery man’s remains have been collected for additional examination, and a postmortem will be performed to establish how he died. It is unclear whether foul play occurred.

“A caller alerted police, who upon arrival discovered the body of a middle-aged male partially decayed. It is likely that the body has been in the stream for some time, as the face is no longer recognizable, but the rest of the body is still intact,” Mohlala stated.

Since then, SAPS Mpumalanga has encouraged community members to assist in identifying the man so they may notify his family, who are likely hunting for him.

“Police encourage members of the community who may have lost a family member fitting the description to assist with the inquiry by identifying the body. For assistance, members of the community are encouraged to attend the Tonga SAPS, call the Tonga police at 084 448 9482, or call Crime Stop at 08600 10111, or send information via the MySAPS app. The Provincial Management seeks to locate the deceased’s relatives so that he may receive a befitting burial. The cause of death will not be determined until postmortem data are obtained.”