Dismembered body found in the bush

A decapitated body with some of its limbs removed was discovered on a farm about three kilometres from Lydenburg, in Mpumalanga.

Lydenburg police spokesperson Captain Alfred Moela said the gruesome discovery was made by employees of Working for Water.

“Contractors for the department of environmental affairs were busy removing alien trees in the Klipspruit area. While working, Ephraim Magolego came across an arm, severed from the elbow down,” said Moela.

The arm still had on a part of a shirt with wrist buttons.

Moela said Magolego immediately informed his superiors, and they in turn notified the police of the discovery, Steelburger News reported.

“The station commander was made aware of the discovered limb, and officers were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, I and other officers started investigating. About five metres away from the severed arm, we discovered a skull.

“Some of the teeth have been broken, which could indicate a struggle. A few metres from the skull and the arm, we found the remains of the body.”

Moela said the body was still partially clothed with pants and a belt. The local criminal record centre was called to the scene. Mpumalanga pathologists removed the corpse.

Moela said he suspected the person could have been murdered either at the scene or that the body was dumped there after being killed.

“The fact that the limbs were Captain Alfred Moela points to where the body was discovered. Scattered and the broken teeth is a good indication that the person could indeed have been murdered.”

He said police would now go through records to establish if a missing-persons file had been opened in the past couple of months. Because of the severe decomposition of the body, the gender and identity of the person could not be established because mummification had set in.

DNA collection and a possible cause of death would be investigated by pathologists.

An inquest into the death has been opened. Moela said if anyone has any information regarding the body or if anyone is aware of a person who has gone missing, they should contact Captain Aaron Digoro on 082 303 9799.

– Caxton News Service