Police rescue divers recover second body from KZN river

20 February 2017 - 17:46 By Taschica Pillay And Jackie Clausen
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Roger Solik (66) and his wife Christine (57) were found murdered after their Nottingham Road home was invaded. File photo.
Roger Solik (66) and his wife Christine (57) were found murdered after their Nottingham Road home was invaded. File photo.
Image: Supplied

Police rescue divers recovered the body of man from a river in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on Monday.

The discovery comes after the bloodied body of Christine Solik‚ 57‚ was found in a river in Nzinga in Impendle near the Drakensberg on Friday.

A massive search involving police‚ private investigators‚ private security companies and different sections of the community was underway from Friday for her husband‚ Roger Solik‚ 66‚ who suffered with Parkinson disease.

Police rescue divers made the second discovery a few kilometres away on Monday afternoon.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane confirmed that the body of a man was found further down the same river in which the woman was found.

"His hands were tied behind his back‚" said Zwane.

Christine was found murdered on Friday in a river‚ 70km from the family home at the Bend Country Estate in Nottingham Road. The couple's home was trashed and had blood stains.

In a social media appeal for assistance to find Roger‚ the Solik family said they received a call from a policeman notifying them of the tragedy on Friday.

  • READ MORE: Family's plea for help to find father who has Parkinson's disease‚ mom found deadA KwaZulu-Natal man - who may have been kidnapped after his wife was killed - will be “totally dysfunctional'' in a matter of hours if he does not take medication for his neurological disease‚ his family say.

“He has fought hard against Parkinson’s disease for 20 years. Daily medication is essential for his condition and‚ no matter how mentally fit he is‚ without his medication he will become totally dysfunctional within 48 hours. It is critical that we find our father soon as he has hours to live‚” they said in a statement.

They said they were informed by police on Friday of a robbery at their family home and the discovery of their deceased mother.

“Our parents were inseparable and their relationship was something to aspire to. It is hard to understand that on their community farmland estate‚ with rolling hills and endless nature‚ and neighbours 100m away‚ that something so violent could happen. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.”

Zwane said police received a complaint on Friday of a couple who had gone missing.

“One of the concerned neighbours went to investigate. Upon arrival she discovered that everything in the house was upside down and there were blood stains‚” he said.

Zwane said a passer-by saw the body of an unknown woman‚ believed to be in her 50s in the river at Nzinga in Impendle.

“Her hands and legs were tied with wire and the head gagged with a pillow. She also sustained an injury on the head. A case of murder has been opened for investigation at Impendle SAPS. A vehicle that was taken during the house robbery in Nottingham Road was found abandoned in the KwaMadlala area in Taylors Halt.

“Police are still searching for the suspects‚” said Zwane.

- TMG Digital/TimesLIVE

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