Veld a ‘dumping ground for bodies’
THE COMMUNITY of Madiba Square does not believe that a serial killer is operating in their settlement, but they do believe that the nearby veld is being used as a “dumping ground for bodies”.
The possibility of a serial killer was raised on social media this week after the naked body of a woman was found in the overgrown veld in Madiba Square, behind the Northern Cape legislature, on Tuesday.
The K9 Search and Rescue team found the body among bushes in the veld. Women’s underwear and clothing items were found next to the body.
Community members said they had contacted the police on Tuesday morning after they saw a human arm being dragged around by a dog.
They said it was clear that it was a woman’s body because the nails were manicured.
They accused the police of taking more than an hour to attend to the scene.
The residents said that no one was reported missing from among the community.
The identity of the woman has not yet been determined.
The body was found in the same area where a man’s body was found with stab wounds in October last year.
The community said that there were previous cases of bodies being found in the veld.
The community members linked the body that was found on Tuesday to an incident where a woman was heard crying for help in the dark just over a month ago.
Apparently, the woman kept saying, ‘you are hurting me’ until her voice faded.
The community members said they were too afraid to go and check what was going on as they feared for their safety.
They said that they do not go out at night due to the “terrible incidents” that happen there.
According to one of the women, they did experience a strong stench at some stage but did not find it strange. “We thought it was a dead animal. People always dump their dead pets here.
“Some thought it was the sewage that overflows on a permanent basis,” she added. “We are used to unbearable smells here.
They accused the police of failing them by either not coming or
by being too late when they call for help or report cases.
According to the community members, they continue to be dismissed when they open cases related to their safety.
A mother of a 10-year-old boy revealed that she was “failed by the police” when she tried to report a case of attempted rape against a well-known suspect in December.
She claimed that she found the suspect, who stays in Donkerhoek, in the act, about to rape her son’s friend in the veld.
She said she found the 12-yearold boy scared and with his pants down and had brought him home safely.
“When I told a female police officer about the matter she said it was an attempt, and that it did not matter.”
The mother added that the suspect is a drug addict and terrorises the children in the settlement.
The community further alleged that they are “neglected” by their ward councillor, who is also the executive mayor of Sol Plaatje, Kagisho Sonyoni.
The community said they were left disappointed and frustrated on Tuesday afternoon after inviting the mayor to a community meeting.
They had expected to be addressed by the mayor on the way forward regarding service delivery in the settlement.
The settlement reportedly has more than 1 000 shacks, with the number continuing to grow.
The community members said there are many ghost shacks among them, some of which are being used for nefarious purposes.
They further claimed that some of the shacks are being rented out to foreign nationals who do not have proper documentation.
At the community gathering on Tuesday, they were told that the mayor would not be attending “because he is not the one who called the meeting”.