Durban – KwaZulu-Natal police have opened a case and are investigating after the discovery of a decomposed body near a school in Verulam.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda explained that the Verulam police had opened an inquest and that investigations were under way.
“An investigation was started after a decomposing body of a man was recovered in Oakford near a school on Wednesday, 9 August 2023. The body has not been identified and further investigations will be done to ascertain what could have been the cause of death,” said Netshiunda.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), who responded to the scene, the body was discovered along the fence of Sacred Heart Secondary School in Oakford on Wednesday afternoon.
“A security officer based at the school made the discovery while investigating a pungent smell outside the school fence,” said spokesperson Prem Balram.
He said that members of RUSA were dispatched after receiving a call for assistance from the school.
“On arrival at 12:56, reaction officers and RUSA medics were led to the location. A palisade fence separated the school from the dense bush where the extensively decomposed body was recovered. The identity of the deceased was not immediately established,” said Balram.
The school’s principal, SP Hlongwa, said the body was found on the other side of the school’s fence and not on the premises of the school.
“The pupils were busy with their soccer games that we normally play when it is a public holiday. The school is a boarding school and pupils were present when this happened. Some of them were in class at that time.
“There is a bush on the other side of the school’s fence and that is where the body was found. The pupils are okay, they were not traumatised. Even yesterday when others had finished with their classes, they also joined in on the games until we all parted at 9pm. None of them are traumatised and today (Thursday) learning and teaching are going on. There’s been no disruption,” she said.
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