Durban — The head and a leg of a missing Stanger boy were the body parts of a missing seven-year-old, recovered on Sunday.
That’s according to a Facebook post by a relative over the weekend.
Sinenhlanhla Black MaShange said on Saturday that her cousin’s son, Philasande Shange, went missing on the afternoon of Thursday, January 5, 2023, from eNtshawini, in the Khwisphithi area of Stanger.
MaShange said that Philasande was last seen with a neighbour who said she had sent him to get her onions from a nearby tuck shop; he came back with the onions and left, but never made it home, and no one had heard from or seen him since.
On Sunday, MaShange reported that Philasande’s body was found: “After hours of search, we received an SMS from an untraceable number letting us know where to find his body, unfortunately only a leg and his head were found, anonymous also texted that the rest of the body was sold to buyers in Mozambique,” MaShange said.
“Amongst these text messages were other messages threatening our family to leave the area, as a group of neighbours were unhappy with the family, and this was done to teach us a lesson. Investigations are being done by the police, and as a family, this matter will be dealt with privately.”
MaShange thanked the community of Stanger in eMphithini for helping them search for Philasande.
On Sunday, Medi Response spokesperson Paul Herbst said that several days ago a seven-year-old was reported missing in the Stanger area, north of Durban.
Herbst said police responded to the incident but their actions did not yield any results at the time.
"Earlier today (Sunday), a relative of the missing person allegedly received a SMS containing information on the location of the missing person's remains," Herbst said.
He said that along with SAPS K9 Search and Rescue, the Medi Response search and rescue division had attended to the said location.
“K9s Dante, Troy and Odi walked the area and were successful in locating several body parts suspected to belong to the missing youth.
“Searches of the area continued to gather further evidence, and the matter will be handed over to local SAPS,” Herbst said.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that police in KwaDukuza had opened a case of murder following the discovery of human body parts in a stream and bushes in the Ntshawini area on Sunday.
“The body parts are suspected to be of the seven-year-old boy who reportedly went missing on January 5, 2023.
“The search for the missing body parts continues and investigations are underway to ascertain the true identity of the recovered body parts as well as the possible cause of death,” Netshiunda said.
Daily News