LYDENBURG – A Steelpoort woman’s two young brothers made a gruesome discovery on Monday when they stumbled upon a human skull in their yard on a farm in White River. Ms Stephanie Myburg’s brothers were playing while the gardener was cutting grass. Her parents had not been home for about two weeks as they were visiting Myburg in Steelpoort. Myburg posted pictures of the skull on the newspaper’s social media page and asked whether this could be the skull of a baboon.
It immediately came to light that this was indeed a human skull and White River SAPS and forensic services were contacted. Myburg’s father, Mr Anton Koekemoer, recalls that his two boys, aged four and 10 found the skull and placed it on their mother’s bedside table.
“When she woke up she got the fright of her life. The man who was cleaning the garden also thought nothing of it and thought that it could have been that of a baboon.”
Koekemoer said the SAPS and forensic services were on scene from 16:00 to 21:00 that evening. In the process they also discovered the lower jaw of the skull. “The skull was clean; there were no traces that it had been buried. It also looked intact without any holes or cracks.”
Sgt Gerald Sedibe, provincial corporate communications officer, confirmed the finding of the skull and said that it looked like that of person who could have died a long time ago.
“No other bones were found except the skull and the lower jaw. An inquest has been opened and the skull has been sent to forensics for identification purposes.” He said anyone in the area who have been missing someone the matter for a period of time, should report to White River SAPS.
