Mutilated, frozen torso dumped in Pretoria dam

A group of Pretoria fishermen and campers made a grisly discovery when they spotted a motorist they believe was dumping the frozen and mutilated torso of an unknown man into the Roodeplaat Dam.

The body, which was wrapped in clingwrap and whose limbs and head had been chopped off, was found on Monday night moments after the motorist stopped on a bridge crossing the Edendale River.

The river flows into the dam.

Kameeldrift Community Policing Forum chairperson Petrus Nel said the campers and fishermen were on the banks of the river at the Riverside Eco Estate when they saw a car stop on the bridge.

He said while sitting on the river bank they saw people throw “something” over the side.

“The people became suspicious and alerted the police. Police divers found the torso, which was still frozen. It was wrapped in plastic cling wrap.”

He said it was clear that the body, of a man who was light in complexion, had been mutilated.

“The head, arms and legs were not on the body. Whoever the person is, he is not from our area, as no-one has been reported missing from here.

“Police are looking at CCTV footage from the estate and other estates to see if they can identify the culprits.”

Nel said the Kameeldrift Road, which crossed the bridge, is a very busy road that connects Cullinan and Moloto roads.

“Lots of people know of this road. It’s not isolated. There are lots of housing estates and schools along the road. The people who did this would have known of this bridge and the river.

“It is fortunate that the campers and fishermen were here, otherwise the body may not have been found for a long time.”

He said the community was in shock.

“People are upset with what had been dumped on our doorstep and that criminals see the dam as a dumping ground for their activities.”

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello said a case of murder was being investigated.

She said the frozen body had been wrapped in plastic.

“It was mutilated with the head, arms, legs and private parts missing.”

She urged anyone with information on the identity of the body to contact police.

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