Charred body found in Mthwalume ‘not connected to serial murders’

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula has dismissed claims that a sixth body found at Mthwalume last Saturday is connected to five others found in the area in recent months.

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Lt-Gen Jula told the Mthwalume community on Tuesday this week that there was no indication that the latest discovery was linked to the suspected serial killer who had dumped the bodies of his victims in the sugarcane fields.

The charred remains, which the commissioner said were believed to be female, were found at the roadside on Saturday morning by people on their way to work.

The commissioner, together with KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala, transport MEC Bheki Ntuli, social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza and local mayors gathered to lay wreaths at the site where the last two bodies had been found.

Premier Zikalala said that the matter needed to be looked at beyond police investigations.

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“This does not end here. While police continue to investigate we need to look at the societal issues that have caused this situation. We need to work with communities to bring back the spirit of ubuntu,” he said.

The Premier also met with local Community Policing Forums, religious and traditional leaders and the community in an effort to come up with a comprehensive plan to deal with gender-based violence.

The families of the victims who were visited by the premier said they were ‘very disappointed’ at the death in custody of one of the suspects as it meant they would never know why he did what he did, or who he was working with.

Lt-Gen Jula said that police would continue to search the area for bodies.

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