Police who examined the room noted 'unusual items' next to the bodies.
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A 42-year-old woman and a 57-year-old man were found dead inside a house in Phomolo section, Kwa-Thema, on Thursday, prompting police to open an inquest docket.
Bodies discovered by daughter
According to police spokesperson Sergeant Maxwell Mabunda of Ekurhuleni District Corporate Communications, officers were called to the scene on Mokhitli Street at around 1pm on 17 September 2026.
He said police were led into the house by a young woman who believed her parents were unresponsive in one of the back rooms.
Officers then confirmed the worst. “They noticed two lifeless bodies lying there,” Mabunda said.
He added that the woman’s body was found on a bed, while the man’s body was on the floor nearby.
Suspicious items found at the scene
Police who examined the room noted unusual items close to the bodies.
Mabunda said officers “saw a transparent plastic with blackish substances on top of the bed” while assessing the scene.
He further stated that the two victims showed similar traces on their bodies.
“Both male and female bodies had the same blackish substances in their hands and in their mouths,” he said.
Paramedics were then summoned to the house to assess the pair.
Deceased declared at the scene
Emergency services arrived and examined the two victims before confirming there was nothing more that could be done for them.
Mabunda said the paramedics “examined the two bodies and they were declared deceased at the scene.”
Police subsequently opened a formal inquiry into the deaths. “The inquest docket was opened so the police will establish what could have happened,” he said.
Investigation ongoing
The case has since been handed to detectives for further probing.
Mabunda confirmed that local police were handling the matter closely while awaiting more clarity on the circumstances. “The docket is being investigated by Kwa-Thema police until further notice,” he said.
No further details on a possible cause of death have been released, and police have not indicated when the investigation is expected to be concluded.
