Decomposed body found in abandoned Hangberg house
A screenshot of the video circulating on social media shows a box in which a body was found in Hangberg last night.
Image: Facebook
Hout Bay police are investigating a murder after the decomposed body of an unidentified person was discovered in an abandoned house near the Sea View Flats in Hangberg, leaving the community reeling on Wednesday.
According to a video circulating on social media, the body can be seen wrapped in a bag or sheet and stuffed into an old cupboard, approximately one metre in length, triggering a wave of fear and speculation among residents.
Witnesses at the scene voiced their disbelief and sadness over the incident, noting that such gruesome discoveries are rare in their neighbourhood.
An anonymous source said: “I can't remember the last time something like this happened, where they found something so gruesome in our community. This is really sad and quite shocking.”
The discovery was made on Tuesday night, with police officials promptly arriving to launch an investigation.
Residents awoke to the chilling news, with many fearing that the victim might be someone familiar to them.
“Nobody knows who this person is,” another local lamented. “It could be someone in our community; we really don't know. This is quite shocking,” another source told Sentinel News.
Community leaders reacted swiftly to the unfolding situation, urging calm and restraint.
The Hangberg community is in shock after the discovery of a decomposed body close to the Sea View Flats.
Image: Supplied
Roscoe Jacobs, a leader in Hangberg, said the incident was “shocking.”
He appealed to the community to refrain from speculation while investigations are ongoing and said: "There is a lot of speculation and rumours circulating about the incident and the condition of the body. I urge Hout Bay residents to please stop the gossip and rumour-mongering.”
Provincial police spokesperson, Thembakazi Mpendukana, said Hout Bay police are currently treating the discovery as a murder investigation.
“The identity is yet to be determined as the body was found decomposed,” she confirmed, highlighting the urgency and seriousness of the case.
The police have put out a call for anyone with information related to the case to come forward, emphasising the importance of public assistance in solving the crime.
Residents are encouraged to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS app to report information anonymously.