Mpumalanga truck accident leads to ‘mysterious’ recovery of two bodies in mine pit

An accident involving a truck has led to a mysterious recovery of two bodies floating in the mine pit filled with water in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, on Wednesday.

According to Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the discovery came after the truck driver lost control of his truck in Glencore mine near Ogies this morning.

“The truck is said to have plunged into the mine pit with water. Police and emergency services were summoned to the scene. Whilst police were still busy with investigation, collecting some clues on the scene, they [police] came across a gruesome discovery of two male bodies floating on the mine pit,” said Colonel Mdhluli in a statement.

“The truck driver who was alone during the accident was transported to hospital and police continued with the probe on the recovered bodies which are yet to be identified. The bodies will be taken for post-mortem to determine the cause of death whilst their next of kin are traced.”

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The police have urged anyone with information regarding the two bodies to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via My SAPS App.

A team of investigators has been assigned to get to the bottom of what transpired to the two deceased persons.

Bodies found in Limpopo

Late last month, police in Westenburg outside Polokwane launched a manhunt for suspects after bodies of alleged illegal miners were found in the vicinity of old opencast mine on a farm.

According to Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, bodies of four men, believed to be illegal miners, were found at different spots in the bushes on the Roedepoort farm on 26 and 27 September 2022.

This after police received information about an incident in which suspected illegal miners were shot dead by unknown suspects on a farm under Westenburg policing area.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe immediately ordered a full scale mobilisation of relevant resources, including a police helicopter to hunt down the suspects and also search for the victims.

On arrival on the said farm, they found the body of a man lying next to the pathway. He was later identified as a 37-year-old man from Lesotho. The search continued until it was later called off for the night.

The search resumed the following morning and three more bodies were found in the area next to the illegal mining site. It appears they were all shot at whilst fleeing from the attackers. The three were also Lesotho nationals.

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“Preliminary police investigations indicated that a group of illegal miners from Lesotho and Zimbabwe were sitting around the fire next to an illegal mining shaft in the area on Sunday morning when a group of suspects, armed with pistols, allegedly accosted them and robbed them of their cellphones and money. They then ran into different directions. The suspects were in the process, allegedly firing shots at them,” said Brigadier Mojapelo in a statement.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Sergeant Brandon Mphahlele on 067 093 9828 or 072 294 4760 or the Crime Stop number 0860010111.