Baden Powell Drive turning into ‘dumpsite’ for bodies of murder victims

In a disconcerting start to the new year, law enforcement agencies are grappling with a disturbing trend along Baden Powell Drive and Monwabisi Beach in Cape Town.

The latest incident involves the discovery of an unidentified male with multiple stab wounds near the parking area of Monwabisi Beach.

IOL reported that on Wednesday morning at approximately 7.30am, Mitchells Plain police registered a murder case after beachgoers stumbled upon the lifeless body along Baden Powell Drive, Tafelsig.
The victim, clad only in shorts, was found drenched in blood.

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Despite the efforts of paramedics, the individual was declared deceased at the scene.
Sergeant Wesley Twigg police spokesperson, confirmed that an investigation is underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding the gruesome discovery. No suspects have been apprehended at this stage.

A series of bodies dumped

This incident follows a series of similarly unsettling occurrences throughout the 2023, where several bodies were found dumped along Baden Powell Drive, Macassar, and the surrounding beaches.

Towards the end of the year, two women, one partially unclothed, were discovered at Monwabisi Beach and the Wolfgat Nature Reserve.

Francina Lukas, the Western Cape Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson, expressed deep concern about the recurring crimes that have left the community terrorised and traumatised.

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Call for more increased police presence

Lukas called upon the South African Police Service (Saps) and other law enforcement agencies to swiftly address the situation and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, echoed Lukas’s concerns and emphasized the need for heightened visibility along Beach Road on the False Bay coastline. Allen urged for increased Saps patrols, stating that the latest discovery underscores the urgency for more proactive measures.

“This latest discovery should serve as encouragement for greater and more visible SAPS patrols within the area. Regrettably, it is becoming synonymous with crimes either occurring or bodies being discovered there,” Allen. told IOL.