Welkom – The bodies of two unidentified men were found in dams in separate incidents at Rosendal and Kestell dam in the Free State, police said in a statement.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Loraine Earle said both men were found earlier this month. "In the first incident the body of an unknown man was found at Rosendal.
Police opened an inquest case on Thursday, 08 June, after members of Rosendal SAPS were called to a dam situated next to the town’s sewerage plant on the R70 road.
Earle said this came after the unidentified man’s floating body was discovered by a boy herding cattle in the area.
"The body was retrieved by members of the Welkom Diving Unit and he was declared dead at the scene. It is alleged that the man had drowned and his body had been in the water for about 4 to 5 days," she said.
"The deceased man who is believed to be in his late twenties or early thirties, is dark in complexion, has a slender build, with neatly cut hair, a clean shaven beard and moustache."
She said the man was wearing a snake-skin wrist band on his left wrist and was wearing only his black underwear.
"The unidentified man’s body is lying in the Bethlehem government mortuary unclaimed."
In another incident, a passerby found the body of an unidentified man in his late thirties on Saturday, floating in a dam at the Kestell Golf Course.
"He was wearing a blue short-sleeve t-shirt, black track pants and running shoes. He had a red band around his right upper arm. His identity is still unknown," said Earle.
The cause of death is yet to be determined, and a post mortem will be done on Thursday.
The police have urged anyone with information on the identities of the men to come forward.