ELUKWATINI, Mpumalanga – South African police have launched an inquest after the bodies of three Zimbabwean men were discovered floating in the Nkomazi River at a game reserve in Elukwatini on Friday.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that its divers retrieved the remains, which showed no visible signs of injury. The cause of death is yet to be determined pending post-mortem results.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said the tragedy came to light after housemates of the three men reported them missing.
“The complainants indicated that the three had informed them that they were heading to the game reserve, but strangely, they never returned,” said Mdhluli.
Acting on the report, police accompanied the complainants to the game reserve, where officials revealed that trespassing was a recurring problem. About a week earlier, unknown individuals had been spotted on the property but fled when approached by rangers.
A continued search of the area led to the shocking discovery of the bodies floating in the Nkomazi River. The SAPS search-and-rescue unit and divers were immediately deployed to recover the men.
“An inquest case is being probed in order to establish the cause of death,” Mdhluli confirmed.
The victims have been identified as Zimbabwean nationals, although their names will only be released once their families have been notified.
Mpumalanga’s acting provincial police commissioner, Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi, has ordered a comprehensive probe.
“He has since directed investigators to conduct a thorough investigation into this shocking incident in order to unveil the truth of what has actually transpired, leading to the death of the three individuals,” said Mdhluli.
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