Cloud of mystery follows discovery of body in Ngodwana Dam
A man fishing at Ngodwana Dam found a body floating in the water. The police are waiting on the medical findings to decide if a murder case needs to be investigated.
A man who went fishing at the Ngodwana Dam on Saturday afternoon, November 9, made a gruesome discovery when he saw a body floating in the water near the clubhouse jetty.
The death of the 38-year-old Humphrey Ndou is still shrouded in a cloud of mystery as it was not yet established how he died or ended up in the dam.
Ndou was attending a function at the clubhouse on Friday night, November 8. Lowvelder understood that he might have been under the influence of alcohol and at some stage during the evening, was involved in a brawl.
He was not seen alive again after the alleged incident.
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After his body was discovered on Saturday, the police divers were called in to recover it.
A spokesperson for the police said the circumstances leading to his drowning are currently unknown and are being investigated.
An inquest docket was opened.
A postmortem was done on Monday, November 11, to establish the cause of death.
Ndou had an injury to his face. He had no shoes on, and his cellphone could not be found. Once the medical findings of the postmortem are available, the police will decide if a murder case will be opened.
Zelda Schwalbach of Sappi confirmed on Tuesday, November 12, that Ndou was an Engen employee and had been working as a contract worker at the mill.
Ndou, who lived in Emgwenya, leaves behind his wife and two children.
Schwalbach said Ndou’s employer, as well as Sappi’s human resources department, is providing the necessary support and arrangements to the family.
“Sappi Southern Africa extends its deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased,” she said.
The Ngodwana Dam, situated on Sappi-owned property, serves both operational purposes for the Ngodwana mill and recreational activities for its employees and contractors.
This tragic event underscores the critical importance of water safety and the need for vigilance around bodies of water at all times,” Schwalbach said.
