Durban — A KwaDukuza family are living in fear after a 7-year-old boy was found dismembered, and they received death threats via SMS messages.
Philasande Shange, 7, from Ntshawini area, was reported missing on January 5 when he did not return home from a tuck shop. His immediate family, who declined to be named, located his head and leg under a bridge near the Indifana river. The family claimed they received several SMS messages directing them to the body and threatening them with death.
“A person gave a piece of paper on which a cellphone number was written to a child in the area and sent her to give it to us. The person instructed the child to tell us to call the number,” said a family member.
When the phone went unanswered they went to the police to do a search.
“The number was not traceable but the SMS told us other body parts are to be sold to a buyer from Mozambique.
“The messenger stated he was scared for his life because the people behind the murder would not think twice to assassinate him.
“This person said they just wanted to help, and after this he would destroy the SIM card,” said the relative.
KwaDukuza ward councillor Petros Ndlovu said crime in the area was high, and appealed to law enforcement to intervene.
“The mother of Shangase has been receiving threatening SMSes telling her to leave the area. They are accusing her of witchcraft and claimed she had a house elsewhere and should relocate there. She said that is not true.”
They also told her that she would endure more pain because more of her children would be killed, Ndlovu said.
He added that people were passing the Shange home as it was not fenced, and when Shange’s mom decided to fence it the lock on her gate was broken. She said she was avoiding a lot of people passing by her home. She said she had no enemies in the area.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said a case of murder had been opened. He confirmed that body parts were found near a stream and bushes, and were suspected to be from the 7-year-old boy who went missing.
“The search for the missing body parts continues and investigations are under way to ascertain the true identity of the recovered body parts, as well as the possible cause of death,” said Netshiunda.
Daily News