The Shabangu family of Dawn Park has confirmed that their missing family member, John (49), was found dead.
John went missing on February 27 following a suspected hijacking.

After weeks of uncertainty and emotional turmoil, the family was informed by police on May 12 that his burnt body had been found on March 4.

The family positively identified the body on the same day.

Jobo, John’s brother, spoke to the Boksburg Advertiser about the family’s pain and frustration, saying the past two and a half months have been a nightmare filled with confusion and heartbreak.

“The police told us that they found him dead on March 4, abandoned and burnt. We are in pain and struggling to come to terms with what has happened.

“What hurts the most is that we only found out more than two months later. Why did it take so long? We had been searching, hoping for good news. We even thought maybe he was being held somewhere and would come back.”

He said the family is battling to cope with the news, especially John’s wife and children.

“My brother didn’t deserve to die like this. He was a family man, a father who loved his two children deeply. He was someone we could all rely on. The way he was taken from us is cruel and senseless. We need answers.”

According to the family, John left his home at around 15:30 on February 27 to visit a friend in Vosloorus.
Later that evening, when his wife, Happy, tried to reach him, his phone was off.

Police contacted her at about 23:00 that night, informing her that John’s vehicle had been recovered in Vosloorus after a hijacking, but there was no sign of him.

“His friend said John left between 18:30 and 19:00 to come home, but he never arrived,” said Happy.

“I am not even sure what he was wearing when he disappeared. I was terrified. The police told me someone hijacked him, and they found his abandoned car. That made everything even more frightening.”

Adding to the family’s distress were suspicious financial transactions on John’s bank account after his disappearance. An undisclosed amount of money was withdrawn, with the last transaction recorded on March 1.

“This isn’t the first traumatic incident John went through. He had been hijacked and abandoned before. I don’t understand what happened this time. We are left with so many unanswered questions.”

Jobo said the family is demanding a full investigation and accountability.

“We need justice. We need to know who did this to my brother. We cannot allow this kind of violence to continue in our communities. John was taken from us, and we want the truth.”

John leaves behind his wife, Happy, and their two children. His funeral will be held in Dawn Park on May 17.

According to SAPS Ekurhuleni District communications officer Captain Neldah Sekgobela, the police confirmed that the body was found on March 4 at Mapleton.

“The body was burned beyond recognition, but DNA testing confirmed that it belonged to the deceased’s brother, Jobo.”

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