Yolandi Botes: Forensic experts only called to bloody B&B room two days later

The South African Police Service (Saps) in Gauteng has launched an internal investigation following the recent discovery of a bloody room at a guest lodge in Kempton Road, Kempton Park on 3 May.

According to Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo, samples were collected at the scene, but only two days later. The SAPS is investigating why.

“The two officers were supposed to summon the forensic experts to the scene immediately, but that was only done after two days. The samples were eventually collected by forensic experts and taken to a laboratory for examination,” he said.

“An internal investigation is under way to establish why the two officers did not call the forensic experts immediately as it is standard procedure in such incidents. The disciplinary action that will be taken against the two members will be determined by the outcome of the internal investigation, it’s an employer-employee issue.”

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The bloody room was discovered on 3 May, a week after Yolandi Botes went missing.

Botes disembarked from a flight at Oliver Tambo International Airport on 26 April 2021 and reportedly left in an Uber. She was last seen in Edenvale before disappearing.

Botes’ dismembered body was discovered in the Vaal River 4 May. According to police spokesperson Motantsi Makhele, the dismembered body was discovered by a father and son while fishing.

“The boy walked around and saw something in the river that looked like a part of the body, the police were summoned and it was confirmed it was a human foot,” Makhele said.

“Police divers were summoned and more of the body parts of a white woman were found.”

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Police are still investigating.

It has not yet been officially established whether the case of Botes is linked to the scene in the bloody Kempton Park guest room.

Meanwhile, Botes’ family has hired a private investigator. A campaign to raise funds for the investigation has collected almost R30,000 so far.