Mystery surrounds the gruesome discovery of a burnt-out body at the gate of a graveyard at Muledzhi-Ngovhela village outside Thohoyandou last weekend.

An employee of the water department made the grisly discovery on his way to work on Friday morning. The body, which was burnt from the waist downwards, was found at the gate of graveyard, which locals fear using, as it has a bad history. It is alleged the first bodies to be buried at the cemetery were those of five family members who died under mysterious circumstances when their house was burnt down some years ago.

The second body was that of a young woman who was found killed at Tshisahulu, also under mysterious circumstances. The latest incident sent shivers down villagers’ spines, as they fear that an evil force is at work at the graveyard and they feel more and more people could still lose their lives under suspicious situations. The bushes next to where the body was found were burnt, indicating that the fire had been very fierce.

The body is believed to be that of a 37-year-old worker at a filling station at Sibasa as an identity document was found next to it. Tintswalo Chauke from Phaphazela village outside Malamulele is alleged to have left her place of work at Sibasa alone. It is alleged that she was last seen buying some petrol at a garage in Sibasa.

Word about the incident spread like wildfire and the surrounding communities gathered at the scene within a short space of time.

Azwimmbavhi Nemugavhini, secretary for the Muledzhi-Ngovhela civic, was one of the first people to arrive at the scene. “I have never seen anything like this in my whole life. We have seen many bodies of people who die in accidents, but this is horrible,” she said. Nemugavhini said the place had become a no-go area for locals who come late from work as many cars are seen lining the road with unknown people. “This death has left us in fear as we do not know what happened to her. She might have been killed somewhere and later dumped here. We are afraid our children will be killed when they go to school,” she said. She said the bushes should be cleared as criminals have a good place to hide themselves and their loot after committing crime.

The death has left many unanswered questions with many thinking that she was murdered and dumped there and others saying she committed suicide as the container she was allegedly seen carrying was used in the incident.

Limpopo police spokesperson in Vhembe Captain Mashudu Malelo confirmed the incident and said they had initially opened a murder docket, which would be subject to change if any evidence to the contrary comes to the fore. “We can now confirm that a partly burnt body was found and that a murder docket has been opened and investigations are still continuing,” he said.