THREE DECEASED PERSONS RETRIEVED BY POLICE IN TWO SEPARATE SCENES

Nelspruit: 27 August 2025 – Three deceased persons (two bodies and remains of one male person), were retrieved by the SAPS team from Mpumalanga Diving Unit as well as K9 Search and Rescue Unit from Lydenburg. The three were recovered on Tuesday, 26 August 2025, in two separate incidents in Pilgrim’s Rest Policing Precinct and Sabie Policing Precinct, respectively. The recovery came after Police received information on their whereabouts on Monday, 25 August 2025.

According to a report, a couple went missing on Saturday evening, 23 August 2025 and their lifeless bodies were found in Sabie area, inside a Red sedan vehicle on the Longtom Pass Road (Sabie/Lydenburg) on that fateful Monday evening.

Meanwhile, the remains of a male person were recovered by some community members in Pilgrim’s Rest area, about 40 kilometres from the scene where a male and female were found (in Sabie). The discovery was made on the R533 Road in Pilgrim’s Rest, on that very same Monday. The remains were found between the back of the bakkie (Toyota Double Cab) and the tree in a place called Morgenson Pass (between Lydenburg and Pilgrim’s Rest.

There is no one, amongst the three, who has been identified by their families as yet. The remains of a male person were found in an advanced state of decomposition whilst the couple could possibly be easily identified. Forensic tests will be conducted, which include a postmortem as well as DNA tests. It is suspected though the remains could be that of a male person (72) who was reported missing in Pilgrim’s Rest in March 2025.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi has commended the SAPS team as well as members of the public who alerted the authorities after the discoveries. “We are adamant that the families of the victims will somehow find closure after these developments, ” said the General