Residents of KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, have expressed shock and concern following the discovery of human skeletal remains at an illegal dumping site in the area.
The remains were allegedly dumped by unknown individuals, prompting a police investigation and calls from the community for those responsible to be brought to justice.
According to community members, a small truck was seen arriving at the site before several boxes containing human remains and casket materials were unloaded and abandoned.
Community Policing Forum (CPF) member David Mamba said a resident witnessed the incident and alerted authorities.
"Apparently, one of the community members saw what appeared to be a small truck, one of those Kia vans, entering the dumping area. The occupants dumped boxes that contained remains, along with casket materials, before leaving the area," Mamba said.
Police have since opened a case of violation of graves and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery.
Mamba said community members confronted a man who allegedly assisted in offloading the boxes and questioned him about the origin of the remains.
According to Mamba, the man claimed he had merely been hired to help unload the items and was unaware of their contents or where they had come from.
"He told community members that he did not know anything about what was in the boxes and had only been asked to assist with the offloading," Mamba said.
The individual was reportedly taken in for questioning and later assisted investigators by directing them to a location in Clairwood where the men involved were believed to have come from.
Police confirmed that two men were questioned in connection with the incident and subsequently released on warning while investigations continue.
Authorities are working to determine the origin of the remains and the circumstances under which they were removed and dumped. The discovery has left residents unsettled, with many demanding answers and swift action from law enforcement.