Community leader’s remains found in a toilet
Phala went missing from home last year
The remains of a former MP and Robben Island inmate’s son have been found after the man went missing from his home in Diphagane near Jane Furse in Limpopo last year. Provincial police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed yesterday that they were now investigating a murder case after Charles Phala’s remains were discovered inside a pit latrine after he mysteriously vanished last July.
Phala, 52, was the son of the late activist Mahwidi John Phala. His body, which was identified through DNA tests, was discovered chopped into pieces and thrown into a pit toilet at a disused school building.
Ngoepe said they had arrested three people previously in connection with Phala’s disappearance but were later released after they could not be linked with the case. He said investigations were continuing.
Yesterday, Phala’s elder brother Phiroane Phala said the family would not find closure until the people behind his death were found.
Phiroane said they planned to bury his brother on Saturday. “There can be no closure until we know exactly what happened,” Phiroane said.
He said they suspected that Phala was murdered by local criminals who were terrorising residents and were against his efforts to form a community policing forum.
Phiroane said his brother’s death did not come as a surprise to the family because he had received death threats. He said there were also rumours of a hit list with his name on it.
“My brother was the leader of this community and he wanted to see this community progressing,” Phiroane said.
Sowetan previously reported that the disappearance sparked outrage, which resulted in residents burning a house belonging to a man they suspected of being behind the kidnapping.
At some point during the desperate search, the community resorted to hiring a prophet in order to shed light into Phala’s whereabouts.
Phiroane said their 87-yearold mother Telekishane Phala tried to remain strong despite going through years of torture.
She endured having to raise six children in the absence of her late husband who spent 15 years as a political prisoner, while two of her sons including Phiroane also spent years in exile. She said she wanted justice for her son’s death.
Community leader Daniel Maabane said residents were angry over the discovery.
“We are now faced with the painful reality that one of our own has been killed,” he said.