A DECOMPOSED body of an elderly woman was discovered in her Illovo township house on October 6, after neighbours complained of a horrible smell emanating from her residence for weeks.

Also read: Umgababa woman found dead under boyfriend’s bed

Illovo Township Community Police Sub-Forum chairperson Nokuphiwa Mkhize said she received a call from the residence’s neighbours that they had not seen Gloria Mashile (72) in almost two months. They also told her of the bad smell coming from the house that was invading their homes.

Mashile lived with her adult son, whom Mkhize said is suspected to be heavily into drugs and is mentally unstable. His name is known but will not be disclosed.

Mkhize and other members of the community police sub-forum decided to pay Mashile a wellness visit to check if everything was in order.

“When we arrived at the scene with my team, the police, and members of a security company that we work with, the door security gate was locked. We stood outside for almost an hour, knocking and shouting for someone to open for us,” said Mkhize.

After failing to gain entry, someone notified the group that Mashile’s sister lives in the same township. They contacted the sister, who arrived at the scene and gave permission to break the locks to gain entry.

“After making our way in, the son, who was inside, was up in arms, asking us what our reason for coming in was, and we told him we wanted to speak with his mother. He told us that she was not home, but we forced our way in and made the grim discovery on the kitchen floor,” said Mkhize.

Describing the scene, she said it looked like Mashile had died and decomposed on the same spot she had fallen without being moved, while her son seemed to have carried on with his life in the house. She said when they gained entry, he was having breakfast of bread, eggs, and tea. There were also indications that he had withdrawn his mother’s Sassa grant a few days earlier.

The son was detained in the police van while the forensic officials processed the scene but he was later released. Mkhize said the police opted not to arrest him because of his mental state, which she questioned. She said the community does not feel safe living with such a person.

Police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said an inquest docket has been opened. “The circumstances that could have led to the death are being investigated,” said Netshiunda.

He did not confirm the reasons for the failure to arrest the son.

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