Suspect arrested after human remains found in Limpopo pit toilet

Police have a man in custody after human remains were found in a pit toilet in Limpopo.

The discovery was followed by a swift investigation, which led to the arrest of a 45-year-old suspect.

Although the motive and identity of the severely decomposing body has not been confirmed, the man will face a murder charge in the Praktiseer Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 26 August.

Public asked to remain calm

The human remains were found a pit toilet located in a school in Ga-Riba, just north-west of Burgersfort.

A tip-off alerted police to a disturbing possibility and investigations gave authorities cause to dig up the chamber underneath the rudimentary toilet.

ALSO READ: Two people hacked to death in separate Limpopo incidents

The investigations began on Wednesday night, 21 August, and by Thursday morning officers were retrieving parts of a decomposing body from the dig-site.

“I call upon all sectors of society to remain calm and give the police space to unearth the motive behind this gruesome act,” said Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe.

“We will monitor the case very closely to ensure that the law takes its rightful course,” Hadebe added.

Pit toilets here to stay

Civil society group Equal Education (EE) stated in April that 80 out of 566 schools in Limpopo were still utilising pit latrines.

The group’s Masechaba Ntsane said the Limpopo Department of Education had missed several deadlines to address the lack of proper facilities.

A five-year-old named Michael Komape died in a pit toilet in 2014, sparking a national debate around how schools still allowed such facilities.

“It is appalling that 10 years after this incident, we still have children as young as six using toilets that are dangerous, illegal and not age-appropriate,” said Ntsane.

ALSO READ: SAHRC urges government to accelerate eradication of pit latrines and bucket toilets

The South African Human Rights Commission in neighbouring Mpumalanga also urged the government to speed up the eradication of the pit latrine and bucket toilets.

“Government must stop violating these rights and ensure that they are protected by ensuring that bucket and pit toilets are eradicated speedily,” said the commission’s provincial manager Eric Mokonyama.

• Additional reporting by Thando Nondywana and Masoka Dube