Cape Town: A man has been arrested after the body of his wife was found next to a river in Fisantekraal near Kraaifontein on Tuesday.
The body of the 35-year-old woman was discovered in a shallow grave after someone noticed her feet sticking out of the ground next to a river in Greenville.
Her body had been partially burnt and it is not clear how she died.
It is alleged that her husband killed her, put her body in a wheelie bin and took her to the river where he buried her.
She was found about half a kilometre from her home.
On Wednesday, police forensics officers could be seen inspecting the bin at the couple’s home in Greenville.
According to a community source, the husband had been cheating and his wife had found out.
Residents said on Sunday, the suspect told them that his wife had gone missing.
“He told us she went missing at about 3pm and we started looking for her,” a neighbour said.
“He looked like a man you could trust, but now we know that in his heart he was a monster.”
She described the woman as a housewife who was always nicely dressed.
“On Sunday evening we noticed the man taking his wheelie bin down to the river and we wondered why. We didn’t realise her body was in the bin,” said the neighbour.
“On Tuesday, people called the police after someone saw part of her legs and her feet sticking out of the ground by the river. There were also burn marks on the ground next to her, like he tried to burn her.”
The neighbour said the couple shared a 13-year-old daughter and appeared happy.
“Everyone is so shocked, after this we don’t know what man to trust anymore,” she added.
The suspect was arrested at the couple’s home on Tuesday night.
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut said: “A 41-year-old man was arrested. Once charged he is expected to make a court appearance on a charge of murder.”
Traut said the exact cause of the victim’s death and the motive for the murder are yet to be established.