Van Dyk Park shallow grave: Residents still in shock as police claim scene is no longer active

“You never think something like this would happen in your community, it is terrifying.”

39 minutes ago

Jani de Beer 2 minutes read

A picture showing a mound of sand with a red toy motorcycle standing among the sand — A mound of fresh soil, scrap and a discarded plastic motorcycle is all that remains after what community members describe as a harrowing discovery. Photo: Jani de Beer

A deep excavated hole, a mound of fresh soil, scrap and a discarded red plastic motorcycle are visible at the back of a Wildevy Crescent property in Van Dyk Park, where the bodies of Jessica Rabe (20) and Yudistan Pillay (25) were recovered on August 30.

The youths were reported missing at the Dawn Park SAPS on July 27, after it was alleged that Rabe had been assaulted and her phone stolen.

With the assistance of Wendy Pascoe of Pascoe Investigations and Missing in Southern Africa, as well as the Van Dyk Park Community Patrollers Initiative (CPI) and Boksburg 911, extensive searches were conducted in an attempt to locate the pair.

Information received on August 28 led to a full-scale SAPS search and, ultimately, a recovery operation being launched at the property. The bodies were found partially buried under the foundations of the house two days later.

A neighbourhood in shock

When the Boksburg Advertiser visited the property this morning (September 1), we found barely a hint of a police cordon surrounding the property, and the only access gate was ill-secured.

When questioned about this, SAPS Gauteng Provincial spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said that no further security measures were required to safeguard the scene where the shocking discovery was made.

“The scene is no longer active and, therefore, no further security needs to be assigned,” she said.

Nevhuhulwi, however, confirmed that three suspects were arrested in connection with the murders and that they were scheduled to appear in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on September 1.

Residents of Wildevy Crescent and Mimosa Street said that the current occupants of the property were not well known to them.

Speaking to the Advertiser on condition of anonymity, neighbours said that the house was a rental property which often changed hands.

“They moved in during April or May this year,” said one resident.

“We seldom saw them. However, frequent late-night visits from police prompted us to rather ignore any activities at the house.

Photo of a hole under a house — The bodies of Jessica Rabe (20) and Yudistan Pillay (25) were found partially buried under the foundations of the house. Photo: Jani de Beer.

“One could often smell what seemed to have been plastic fires emitting from the property, but I cannot confidently comment on what they were burning.”

With eyes fixed on the property, devoid of any boundary walls or fencing, another resident said that it was harrowing to think that two young people were buried there without anyone noticing.

“I always said I would never live near a graveyard, not for a moment thinking that one was on our doorstep,” she said.

“I am shocked by what can only be described as evil behaviour. They simply discarded the bodies and continued living on their remains. My brain cannot process this information.”

Recalling the continuous circulation of the youths’ pictures on the CPI’s WhatsApp platforms, another resident said that he could not recall seeing anyone matching their description frequenting the property.

“One late evening I heard what sounded like digging coming from the property,” he said.

“I did my best to rather steer clear of the residents and, therefore, did not attempt to see what could have made that sound. It didn’t occur to me that they may be burying someone in the yard.

“If you are not inclined to think like a criminal, your mind would not automatically wander to such scenarios.”