A portion of the N1 highway in Maraisburg, Gauteng, was cordoned off on Wednesday morning following the discovery of dead bodies, possibly ‘zama zamas‘, on the side of the road.
Maraisburg latest updates: Bodies found on N1 believed to be ‘zama zamas’
Motorists driving near the Maraisburg off-ramp on the N1 highway bore witness to the gory scenes that unfolded on a nearby veld on Wednesday morning,
Teams of forensic pathology officials, accompanied by South African police, cordoned off the left shoulder lane near the Maraisburg interchange, where several dead bodies had been dumped.
In a statement quoted by The Citizen, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla revealed the identification process had yet to commence. However, early indications suggest “that these guys are zama zamas.”
“From what we’ve seen, they sustained gunshot wounds… As JMPD we can’t confirm or know what the motive of the killings is,” Fihla added.
Fihla’s comments corroborate claims made on social media that the Maraisburg body dump was, in some capacity, linked to the notorious illegal mining syndicate.
According to police, at least five corpses were recovered from the dump site, and preliminary observations suggest the victims may have been executed by gunfire, while others were stabbed to death.
“All role players have been called to the scene. The South African Police Service, the JMPD and also Gauteng traffic police,” Fihla confirmed.
This is a developing story.