The community of Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, is grappling with the horror of a mass murder that claimed the lives of five men.
Inanda mass murder: Here’s everything we know
The gruesome discovery was made early on Friday morning near Newtown Comprehensive High School.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) and the police have launched a large-scale investigation into the incident, which has sent shockwaves through the area.
According to a statement from RUSA, their Phoenix operations centre received multiple calls for assistance at approximately 06:40.
Residents and schoolchildren reported seeing bodies near the high school.
Upon arriving at the scene, RUSA officers, paramedics, and police discovered three bodies with multiple injuries near a sports ground close to the school.
While searching the surrounding area, two more bodies were found about a kilometre away. All five victims, aged between 19 and 26 years old, had suffered gruesome injuries, with one reportedly having an arm severed.
The KwaZulu-Natal police confirmed that the victims were allegedly kidnapped from their homes in Bambayi during the early hours of the morning.
Their bodies were discovered hours later with injuries consistent with being hacked, possibly with a bush knife.
Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects and are appealing to the public for assistance.
“The motive for the killings remains unknown at this stage,” said a police spokesperson.
Authorities have urged anyone with information about the suspects or the incident to contact the nearest police station or the Crime Stop number