SAPS commended for efficiency
The Cleveland and Jeppe SAPS were commended for the way they handled the discovery of a human skull and other skeletal remains on Sunday last week.
Clr Carlos da Rocha, from ward 66, said he was pleased with the diligence and efficiency showed by police officers on the day, despite the rain.
“I was attending to a resident whose property was flooded due to the heavy rains over the weekend. I received a phone call from another resident who said a human skull was sticking out of a stormwater drain. At first I thought the resident was joking. After I attended to the flooding complaint, I went to the Kitchener Avenue and Lancaster Street intersection, in Kensington, to see what was going on. The Jeppe SAPS police officers who were with me, when I was attending to the flooding incident in Kensington, followed me,” said Clr Da Rocha.
When Clr Da Rocha and the police officers arrived at the area where the skull was found, the scene was already cordoned off by the Cleveland SAPS.
“It was distressing to find out that skeletal remains were found in my ward. A human life was lost, someone died. A family lost a loved one. A person dying is traumatic enough, but not knowing where your loved one is for such a long time is even more excruciating. I cannot imagine what that family is going through. I feel for them,” he said.
Clr Da Rocha said he was amazed at the way the police officers conducted themselves and tried to find all the remains.
“They spent a long time in the area and showed commitment. It is sad that the rest of the remains were not found, but I am glad the officers tried their best. I am also pleased that the two Jeppe SAPS police officers followed me to the scene without even questioning. The discovery of the human remains gave me the opportunity to appreciate the way the SAPS conducts itself at incidents. I thank them for a job well done,” he said.
He cautioned residents to be alert, especially considering the danger heavy rains pose.
“I am not sure how the person ended up in the drain but I urge people to be careful. The rain we have been experiencing poses a great danger. Stay away from stormwater drains and other dangerous areas.
“If there is a flash-flood, like the one we experienced last weekend, it could be deadly,” he said.
In December 2004, the EXPRESS reported on a tragedy that shocked people across the country.
Five boys from Bertrams sought shelter under a stormwater bridge during a heavy downpour in Bez Valley on December 8, 2004.
Tragedy struck when a flash-flood hit their place of shelter. The bodies of Kyle Shannon-Hasson (12) and bothers, Mark (11) and Kallie (12) Strydom, were found in Bruma Lake the following day.
Kyle’s brother, Mitchell, and Mark and Kallie’s eldest brother, Ernst, were rescued on the day of the incident.
