Bystanders and residents watched in utter shock as the body of 55-year-old Mr John Phosa was fished from the dam opposite Bridge Auto in Rissik Street on Friday, September 1.

The grim discovery was made by a pedestrian who immediately alerted the authorities. Within minutes, members of the police secured the scene as hundreds of passers-by flocked to the scene to find out what the commotion was all about.

After failing to get the help of police divers, local fire and rescue personnel provided assistance with ladders, while two volunteers from the crowd, Mr Reuben Matsa and Mr James Ndalane, eventually entered the water and retrieved the body of Mr Phosa.

After struggling to get to the body, a stretcher was lowered to the two volunteers who managed to secure the body onto the stretcher moments later.

On Monday, September 4, the Zoutpansberger managed to make contact with the deceased Mr Phosa’s sister, Ms Glacia Phosa.

Ms Phosa told how her brother went missing a couple of days before the gruesome discovery of his body. According to her, her brother was working in Johannesburg and came home over the weekend of Friday, August 25, for a visit.

On Monday, August 28, her brother’s wife phoned her, informing her that John had gone missing the previous day. Mr Phosa’s worried wife told Glacia that he was planning to drive back to Johannesburg after visiting her, but never returned home or reached her house. The last person to see Mr Phosa alive was his best friend, who offered to give John a lift in the direction of his sister’s house and said that he would drop him halfway.

Glacia bravely told the Zoutpansberger that she went to identify the body of her brother, after hearing of the discovery of a body floating in the water. She told the Zoutpansberger that Mr Phosa had cuts all over his face and it is widely rumoured that he might have been killed for muti purposes, although only an autopsy can confirm this. Those who saw the body up close laim that Mr Phosa’s lips and tongue were missing.

Following the incident, Vhembe police spokesperson Supt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi appealed to members of the public to come forward with information which could assist the police in their investigation. He confirmed that a case of murder had been opened and added that Mr Phosa had a deep cut under his chin. The exact cause of death was still unknown at the time of going to press.