Motorist hijacked, killed and buried in shallow grave

DURBAN - Two men travelling in a stolen vehicle were arrested in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The owner of the vehicle had been hijacked, killed and buried in a shallow grave near a river.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that in the early hours of Thursday morning, Cetshwayo District Task Team SAPS members received information about two men travelling in a stolen vehicle from Nongoma towards Mtubatuba. The vehicle was spotted near Nkodibe and intercepted.

“Upon questioning the occupants of the vehicle, it was discovered that none of the occupants owned the vehicle. The suspects, both aged 34, were arrested on the spot.

“The team conducted further investigation and it was established that the owner of the vehicle was allegedly hijacked on January 19, 2024, and killed. His body was buried in the Nongoma area,” Gwala said.

She added that on Friday, various role-players in the SAPS proceeded to the identified area at Embonjeni in Nongoma to search for the body of the victim.

“With the assistance of the K9 unit, the shallow grave was pointed out near the river where the body of the victim was buried.

“The partially decomposed body of a 46-year-old man was exhumed. Charges of murder and car hijacking were opened at Nongoma,” Gwala said.

The suspects appeared in the KwaMsane Magistrate’s Court on Friday where they were remanded in custody.

“They will reappear in the Nongoma Magistrate’s Court soon,” Gwala said.