Cape Town police are investigating the circumstances that led to the death of a man whose body was recently found in Newlands Forest.
Story Summary:
- Dhananjaya Naidoo’s body was discovered on a contour path in Newlands Forest, on Thursday.
- He left his home on Saturday, 16 November 2024, to take a walk along the forest’s popular trails.
- Authorities will rely on an autopsy report for details about his cause of death.
Search for missing man ends after his body is found in Newlands Forest
Dhananjanya Naidoo’s missing person case quickly escalated to a death inquest after searchers canvassing the contour paths that run along Newlands Forest made a gruesome discovery, on Wednesday.
Naidoo had been missing for four days when his body was discovered.
According to SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, he left his home on Saturday, 16 November 2024, to go for a walk along the picturesque forest.
However, concern grew when Naidoo did not return as expected.
Shortly after a missing person case was registered with Claremont police, a team dispatched to Newlands Forest made an instant breakthrough with the discovery of his vehicle abandoned in the parking lot.
This was a crucial starting point for searchers. It informed them that Naidoo had not left the forest.
For three days, search teams canvassed the dense forest, looking for signs of Naidoo’s trail. Unfortunately, the search effort concluded on Wednesday, with the discovery of his body.
Sgt Twigg confirmed that due to the nature of the discovery, an inquest docket was “registered for further investigation.”
“A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” he said.
While it’s unclear what fate Naidoo met, his death has sparked renewed concerns about public safety along Cape Town’s hiking trails.
Earlier this month, the South African National Parks (SANParks) presented its action plan to keep its visitors safe this festive season – the Table Mountain National Park Volunteer Safety Services
“It will operate as a coordinated, collaborative and accountable mechanism that ensures civil society’s contributions are embedded in the national park’s overall safety and security strategy and approach.
“It will assist SANParks with a framework for the further and ongoing establishment, governance and operation of joint efforts with civil society in promoting both visitor and park user safety in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP). This effort is intended to streamline innovation and organise the mobilisation of resources and expertise in support of crime prevention. Victim support and organising trauma counselling will also be central to VSS,” SANParks said.
