Mystery surrounds the discovery of an unidentified man on Monday whose body was found near the Mthatha dam with his hands tied, his mouth gagged with sellotape and multiple stab wounds.
Malaki Mnyameni, who was one of the first on the scene, said the killers had covered the victim’s chest with tree branches but left his face and legs exposed.
Mnyameni, 59, who works at the department of water affairs near Luchaba Nature Reserve, had been on his way from taking water meter readings when he and colleague Thembisa Mdodana made the gruesome find.
Mnyameni said the victim had injuries to his head, chest, stomach and buttocks.
He described the victim as well-built, of medium height and “coffee colour” in complexion.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela confirmed the incident, saying the man was estimated to be around 25 years old.
Fatyela said he was wearing navy jeans and a black jacket.
A member of the public stumbled upon the lifeless body near Mthatha dam in Highbury Village around 8am on Monday.
The body was found roughly 100 metres from where the bodies of a young couple, Carl George and Jacqueline Miller, were found in May.
Three youngsters were subsequently arrested for the couple’s murder.
They have been kept in custody while police finalise their investigations.
Fatyela asked for assistance from the public in tracing friends or family of the victim.
“We have no link that can help us identify him at this stage,” he said.
He said the body was being kept at the Mthatha government mortuary.
Security guard Nolusindiso Nogaga, who was also at the scene, said these types of incidents could be avoided if two high mast lights in the area, which have not been working for years, were fixed.
This is the fifth person in a year to be killed and their body dumped in or near a body of water in the area.
A year ago, the body of Mthatha teacher Cengilizwe Mkhululi Nkohla, 47, was found with his throat slit under the Norwood footbridge.
Two weeks later the body of well-known Catholic nun Sister Mary Paul-Tacke was found floating in a small stream near Libode village.
She had been abducted while delivering food to children at an orphanage in Norwood on June 16.
Two men have been arrested for her murder and will appear in court again in August.
“Criminals will never get away with the crimes they commit and expect no action from our side,” said Fatyela.
“That will never happen... even with this latest incident we are going to make an arrest as soon as possible.” — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
Body bound and gagged
Malaki Mnyameni, who was one of the first on the scene, said the killers had covered the victim’s chest with tree branches but left his face and legs exposed.
Mnyameni, 59, who works at the department of water affairs near Luchaba Nature Reserve, had been on his way from taking water meter readings when he and colleague Thembisa Mdodana made the gruesome find.
Mnyameni said the victim had injuries to his head, chest, stomach and buttocks.
He described the victim as well-built, of medium height and “coffee colour” in complexion.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela confirmed the incident, saying the man was estimated to be around 25 years old.
Fatyela said he was wearing navy jeans and a black jacket.
A member of the public stumbled upon the lifeless body near Mthatha dam in Highbury Village around 8am on Monday.
The body was found roughly 100 metres from where the bodies of a young couple, Carl George and Jacqueline Miller, were found in May.
Three youngsters were subsequently arrested for the couple’s murder.
They have been kept in custody while police finalise their investigations.
Fatyela asked for assistance from the public in tracing friends or family of the victim.
“We have no link that can help us identify him at this stage,” he said.
He said the body was being kept at the Mthatha government mortuary.
Security guard Nolusindiso Nogaga, who was also at the scene, said these types of incidents could be avoided if two high mast lights in the area, which have not been working for years, were fixed.
This is the fifth person in a year to be killed and their body dumped in or near a body of water in the area.
A year ago, the body of Mthatha teacher Cengilizwe Mkhululi Nkohla, 47, was found with his throat slit under the Norwood footbridge.
Two weeks later the body of well-known Catholic nun Sister Mary Paul-Tacke was found floating in a small stream near Libode village.
She had been abducted while delivering food to children at an orphanage in Norwood on June 16.
Two men have been arrested for her murder and will appear in court again in August.
“Criminals will never get away with the crimes they commit and expect no action from our side,” said Fatyela.
“That will never happen... even with this latest incident we are going to make an arrest as soon as possible.” — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
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