Man's distress call to relative leads cops to bodies on Witbank farm

A 24-year-old man who had called his relative, saying he had been shot, was one of two people later found dead on a Witbank farm, Mpumalanga police said on Thursday.

The bodies were discovered on Tuesday, said Brig Leonard Hlathi.

“According to the report, police received information in the early hours of the morning from a concerned family member who informed them that his brother called him alleging that he had been shot and was hiding in the bush at a farm nearby,” said Hlathi.

“Police immediately attended to the matter and went out and searched for him, without any success.

“They then summoned the K9 Unit who continued with the search where they later discovered Emmanuel Mashengwane's body and that of the second victim piled on top of each other, with gunshot wounds, at the said farm. The police then summoned the paramedics who certified both victims dead at the scene,” Hlathi added.

It was not immediately clear if the victims knew each other. Hlathi said two cases of murder had been opened.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Mondli Zuma said: “No-one has the right to take someone's life, those responsible for this callous act will face the full might of the law.”

Anyone with information that can assist with the investigation can call 10111 or 08600 10111. Alternatively, they can download the MYSAPSAPP to anonymously send information.