Man found dead after three days in his home

MBOMBELA – The body of a man was discovered at a complex on Thursday morning. He had already been dead for three days.

Deon Els (69) was discovered in his home in Natures Bend in Graniet Street after a neighbour and a friend reported that something was amiss.

Police spokesman, Capt Dawie Pretorius said a neighbour in the complex reported a bad odour coming from his house.

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Hi-Tech Medical Services’ operations manager, Freek Esterhuizen, said they received a call from a friend of Els who said he had been missing.

“We arrived at his home to find the glass doors were open but the retractable security door was locked.”

Hi-Tech Security response manager Callum MacPherson said their armed response officers, who also responded to the scene, kicked the gate open after they saw Els lying between the passage and his bedroom.

“I could see no visible marks or injuries on him. He must have been lying there since Monday,” said Esterhuizen.

Els’ sister, Desiree Els Erasmus, said she received the call about her brother’s death on Thursday afternoon.

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“He was not well. He had been suffering from diabetes and already lost half his foot. We know this was from natural causes,” she told Lowvelder.

Els Erasmus, who resides in Pretoria, said she and their brother, who lives in East London, arrived in the city to identify Els and arrange a funeral service.

He had worked for Federal Airlines but left the company in July.

“He never married or had any children. He only had me and his brother,” said Els Erasmus.

Pretorius said police had not yet received the post-mortem results to confirm the cause of death. He added that they opened an inquest docket and the matter was being investigated.

The memorial service for Deon Els will be held tomorrow at West End Crematorium Chapel at 11:00.