Cape Town is a dumping ground for bodies'
The Cape Flats has become a dumping ground for murder victims. Experts in forensic pathology have weighed in on why killers mutilate and dumped bodies in order to disfigure them when identification takes place.
Criminals seem to follow the same modus operandi, with bodies found mutilated, burned beyond recognition or in a wheelie bin.
The areas commonly recorded with the highest body counts are the dunes along Baden Powell Drive and in Mitchells Plain or in the reeds of Macassar.
The list has become shocking in recent weeks and days: On November 17 in Waboom Street, Tafelsig, a man was found with parts of his face cut out and his pants pulled down.
* The Wednesday morning, Harare police registered an inquest for investigation when human skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave along Baden Powell Drive, Enkanini, Khayelitsha.
* November 20, a man was found dumped in a wheelie bin in Stephen Road, Lotus River. Hours later in Delft, a man believed to be in his 20s was found by a passer-by on an open field in Symphony Way and victim was burnt beyond recognition.
Earlier this year, Tafelsig mom Clare Swartz’s body was dumped in Wolfgat Nature Reserve in Tafelsig after she was stabbed to death.
These incidents give just a glimpse into the horror that our communities are facing in the Cape.
The family of Susan Kok are seeking answers after the body of their 78-year-old mother was found dumped on an open field in Waarburg Road, Joostenbergvlakte, on November 16 after she mysteriously disappeared on 8 November while visiting family.
The Cape Argus' sister publication, the Daily Voice spoke to South Africa’s leading forensic pathologist Dr Hestelle van Staden about what leads criminals to desecrating bodies after killings. After overseeing over 7 000 autopsies, Van Staden said: “In my opinion, the reason why bodies are dumped and why criminals do so, is that it makes identification more difficult, which again leads to more difficulty in pinning down a perpetrator.
“Decomposition might mask trauma which again makes it more difficult to prosecute offenders, should they be caught.
“A body exposed to the elements decomposes faster than a body which is buried. Not only does the weather play a role, but also exposure to insects and animals. DNA is always the best way to conclusively and scientifically identify a person."
Provincial MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais said the dumping of bodies is a priority: "Perpetrators often target isolated locations specifically because they believe that the likelihood of being seen, identified, or recorded is low.
Criminals deliberately choose these sites because they hope the bodies will not be discovered quickly, thereby reducing the risk of detection. A CCTV project along this route has been completed, with six cameras currently operational between Prince George Drive and the N2."
Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
Cape Argus