Masoyi, Mpumalanga — April 29, 2025
A chilling discovery in the quiet community of Swalala near White River has left residents shocked and disturbed. A 29-year-old man was arrested after police found him sleeping next to what are believed to be human bones — allegedly exhumed from the graves of his own father and grandfather.
The bizarre and unsettling incident came to light on Monday afternoon around 13h30 when a local woman walked into the Masoyi Police Station, reporting that two graves had been disturbed. She told police that the suspect had dug up the burial sites of his father and grandfather, who were laid to rest in 2010.
Officers from the Masoyi Visible Policing Unit acted swiftly, launching a search operation. When they arrived at the suspect’s home in the RDP section of Swalala, they made a gruesome discovery: the man was found asleep in bed with the suspected human remains beside him.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that the remains were seized and will be subject to forensic analysis as part of the ongoing investigation. The man was arrested on the spot and is now facing charges related to grave desecration, a serious offence under South African law.
He is expected to appear in the Masoyi Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, April 30, where the full extent of the charges against him will be outlined.
Authorities have not yet revealed the motive behind the exhumation, but the community remains rattled by the grotesque nature of the case. Investigations are continuing, with police working to determine whether any ritualistic or criminal element
