Cape Town - Police in Cape Town have managed to arrest a suspect after the body of a woman was discovered on a beach on May 27.
According to the provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie, a 41-year-old suspect was linked through analysis of forensic evidence.
The body of a woman was found floating in shallow water at about 7.30am on Macassar Beach, Macassar, by fishermen who alerted police.
It was later discovered the woman is from Voorbrug in Delft.
Pojie said meticulous investigating by police discovered the woman was raped, murdered and later dumped on the beach.
“Initially, police opened an inquest docket for investigation. However, an autopsy that was conducted on the body later revealed that the victim was raped and eventually killed and dumped on the beach.
“Through the presentation of adequate evidence, the investigation team obtained a warrant for the arrest of the suspect at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court.
“Armed with this warrant of arrest, the investigation team pounced on the residence of the 41-year-old suspect where he was arrested on Monday, June 12,” Pojie said.
Acting Police Commissioner in the Western Cape, Major General Bongani Maqashalala, praised the investigation team for the meticulous investigative work done, which is in line with the principles of the CEPPAT-Strategy of the Province.
“This breakthrough will also bring some sort of comfort and closure to the bereaved family and loved ones of the deceased,” Maqashalala said.
The community of Macassar have been living in horror as the area has become a dumping ground for bodies.
The discovery of the bodies is taking place amid the power crisis in the area, and criminals have been taking full advantage of the darkness.
The acting commissioner further reiterated that increased high-density patrols would be maintained in the Macassar policing precinct, where a total of four bodies were recently discovered.
Specialised detectives from the provincial detectives have been assigned to assist the local detective branch to probe the occurrences.
Ward Councillor Peter Helfrich said the four bodies were dumped between May 27 and June 3.
The woman from Delft was the first body found dumped in the area.
A day after her body was found, the body of a man with stab wounds to his body was found in the bushes on Macassar Road.
On June 1, another body was found floating in a pool of water along Macassar Road at about 4.30pm.
On June 3, a body was found dumped along Macassar Road.
“Macassar has become a hotspot for criminals to dump bodies. It is also very clear that almost all of the bodies being dumped in the ward are bodies of persons who did not reside in the ward. It is very likely that they have been murdered elsewhere and dumped here.
“I want to make use of this opportunity to thank SAPS for the decisive action taken and for the brilliant investigative work they have done, which ultimately lead to this breakthrough.
“I hope this teaches criminals that think they can get away with these types of crimes, especially the dumping of bodies, that it will never happen. You will be arrested. I hope the criminals that dumped the other three bodies also understand that we will not rest until they find themselves behind bars,” Helfrich said.
The 41-year-old man is expected to appear in the Somerset West Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He further stated the dumping of bodies coincides with the area’s load shedding schedules as well as the extended power outages the community experiences.
“Macassar has been facing a power crisis, and criminals take advantage of this.
“It is important to understand that Macassar is an Eskom-supplied area. It pains me to admit this, but residents in our ward have, to a certain extent, forced themselves to make peace with load shedding.
“What makes it unbearable for residents is the extended power outages that start when load shedding ends. These prolonged power outages, at times, last for days on end. It is inhumane to expect residents to accept additional power outages over and above load shedding,” Helfrich said.
He said he has tried reaching out to Eskom, however, with no cooperation from their side. He wrote to the presidency, pleading for assistance for the community.
“I received a call from the office of the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, on June 8, informing me that the office of the president handed the matter over to the minister and that the minister will personally be looking into the matter.
“I also received a call from Eskom senior management in the province on June 9, informing me that the Oklahoma substation, one of the causes of the extended power outages we are experiencing, has not been repaired
“We are really happy about this and hope that we can work together to resolve all of the outstanding Eskom matters in the ward and, in so doing, hopefully, reduce the increase in crime in the area,” Helfrich said.
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