Burnt body found at Tembisa Plaza

A year and a half after riots and looting caused the shutdown of most of the country and parts of Thembisa, human remains were discovered buried beneath debris at Tembisa Plaza.

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The discovery was made on January 17 by construction crews working to rebuild the Shoprite at the centre after it was destroyed in July 2021.

During this time, the nation saw widespread riots and looting in the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Thembisa was one of the hardest-hit areas.

During the protests, 12 people were reported missing.

According to information obtained by The Thembisan, those missing had allegedly left their homes to participate in the looting of shops, including the Shoprite at the Tembisa Plaza.

They never returned because the building’s gas cylinder exploded and started a fire that spread to nearby structures.

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Twelve people were trapped in the store. It is believed they burnt to death. The plaza was completely shut down as a result of the aftermath of the riots and it was deemed hazardous.

After the shutdown, it was learnt that 12 individuals were trapped in the building when it caught alight.

The first six bodies were found and identified on July 26, 2021, according to Colonel Nthipe Boloka, commander of the Tembisa Police Station.

Six other people, however, remained missing and were believed to be trapped inside the burnt Shoprite store.

Because of where the remains were found, police suspect the person might have been one of the missing riot victims.

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Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the spokesperson for National SAPS, said contractors discovered the body while conducting a building inspection.

She said the building was deemed unsafe because it was in disrepair. Construction workers were then called in to conduct an inspection.

“Following the discovery of the remains, police officers and various SAPS role-players were called to the scene.

“Officers assembled at the site again on January 18 and waited for the contractor’s safety officers to deem the area safe to work in.

“While searching the area, a human skeleton was found in one of the passages.”

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The remains were taken to the Germiston mortuary.

Construction was halted to allow for a comprehensive search.

Mathe urges family members of those still missing after the 2021 riots to contact the police as soon as possible.