Authorities in South Africa have retrieved the bodies of three men—believed to be Zimbabwean nationals—from the Nkomazi River in Mpumalanga province.
According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the bodies were discovered and recovered by SAPS divers on Friday within a game reserve located in Elukwatini.
Police reported that the bodies showed no external signs of injury. Mdhluli explained:
“On that Friday, individuals who lived with the missing men reported them to Elukwatini Police Station after the trio failed to return from a visit to the game reserve, which they had mentioned as their destination.”
Following the report, police investigators accompanied the complainants to the reserve. Staff at the site revealed that there have been instances of people illegally entering the area. Mdhluli elaborated:
“Information gathered suggests that about a week prior, unidentified individuals were spotted inside the reserve but ran away when approached by authorities. They were not seen again.”
The investigation continued around the area, eventually leading to the grim discovery of the three bodies floating in the Nkomazi River.
“Specialized search and rescue units, including divers, were called in to retrieve the remains,” Mdhluli said. “A formal inquest has been launched to determine the exact cause of death.”
Post-mortem examinations will be conducted to establish how the men died. Their names will be released once their families have been notified.
Initial findings suggest that the deceased were originally from Zimbabwe. In response to the incident, Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi has instructed law enforcement to conduct a comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances behind the deaths.
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