Alleged trolley man found hanging from a tree
NEWLANDS – A man in his forties was found hanging from a tree on a private property in Newlands. It is believed he had been hanging there for three to four days.
Newlands resident Boetie Koekemoer discovered the body of a man hanging from a tree in Newlands on 7 January.(See previous breaking story)
The man who has been identified by some vagrants as Vusi is said to have been ill.
“Vusi has been sick for a while now. We all thought he had gone to the hospital and we are shocked to see that he hung himself,” said one vagrant who wishes to remain anonymous.
According to the informant, Vusi worked as a trolley man in the area, picking and selling recyclable materials.
Koekemoer said a passerby told him about the body.
“There was a guy coming down the road and he asked me what I would do if I see someone hanging in a tree, and I said I will cut the rope. I thought he was joking. He then said the guy is dead and I told him I would phone the police. He then explained that there was a body but he didn’t have a phone.”
Koekemoer wanted to validate the claim prior to making a call to the police.
“I went up to where he said the body was, when I saw the guy hanging there I immediately phoned the cops,” he retold.
Police arrived at the scene where media and a couple of residents began to gather.
Formal procedures were followed. The officers attending to the scene guarded the body until photographers and forensic experts arrived.
The body was removed from the scene at 2:50pm.
Ward councillor Steve Kotze was on scene and said the area has been problematic.
“The owners of this land are not taking care of the property as they are supposed to. They have been saying that they will fence off the area and develop it but have not taken any action. I called them a few weeks back and they are on holiday when such things are happening,” said Kotze.
The property is now infested with vagrants.
According to Kotze, the open veld has to be closed off as soon as possible.
Kotze added that is at least the second body discovered in the area.
It is not clear yet whether this was a murder or suicide. The body might have been hanging there for three or four days according to a medical expert on scene.
