Three bodies were found, in separate incidents, in the far south this week, including that of a 57-year-old woman who was reported abducted in July.

The body of Charlene Josephs, a community worker who was kidnapped from her Lavender Hill home on Wednesday July 10, was found on Monday August 19 in a sand grave in a deserted area behind the municipal landfill site in Muizenberg, according to police.

The body had multiple stab wounds, said provincial police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Potjie.

Lieutenant Colonel Potjie said a multi-disciplinary team had been set up to investigate after four masked men had abducted Ms Josephs at gunpoint from her St Montagu Village home during a power outage.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder.

A 23-year-old man arrested on Sunday August 18 had appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court the following Monday, charged with kidnapping, and further investigation had led to the arrest of a 49-year-old man on the Monday and the subsequent discovery of Ms Josephs’s body, said Lieutenant Colonel Potjie.

A third suspect had been arrested at the court on Wednesday August 21 and charged with Ms Josephs’s murder, said Lieutenant Colonel Potjie. He had been due to appear for an unrelated matter.

The Daily Voice reported that Faried and Charles Williams appeared in court on Wednesday August 21 on charges of murder and kidnapping, and Jason "Fabulous" Arendse, 31, the alleged leader of the Junky Funkys gang, was arrested at court.

The case was postponed to Friday September 6 for a formal bail hearing.

At the time of Ms Josephs’s disappearance, The Echo’s sister newspaper, the Southern Mail, reported that a family member of Ms Josephs, who spoke to the Southern Mail on condition of anonymity, in fear of reprisal, believed the abduction was gang-related.

According to the family, her stepson is a gangster and he was arrested for shooting three people, killing two and injuring one.

“We think she was taken because he believes she was an informant in the case which led to his arrest.” (“Family pray for the safe return of kidnapped woman,” Southern Mail, July 17).

In a separate incident, Simon's Town police are investigating a murder after the body of an unidentified man was discovered at Scarborough Beach, on Wednesday morning, August 21, around 9am.

Provincial police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the man, who was wearing a black T-shirt, black pants, and a brown jersey, had visible injuries to his body and face. It is suspected that he is from Ocean View or Masiphumelele.

Sergeant Twigg said the beach was closed while police attended to the crime scene.

Anyone with any information about this incident or who can identify the victim is requested to contact Simon's Town police at 021 786 8646.

In another incident, the body of a 29-year-old Masiphumelele man was found on the Fish Hoek sports grounds.

According to Fish Hoek police spokesman Captain Charl Basson, the man committed suicide and no foul play is suspected.

#kidnapping

Snatched woman among three bodies found