EZIMBOKODWENI - Bags filled with human bones were discovered in refuse bags in eZimbokodweni near Adams, KwaZulu-Natal.
Community members got a fright Monday night after a man dumped what looked like 'dirt' at a make-shift dumping site in the area.
Fikani Vezi, the man seen dumping the bones, said he did not know what he was handling when it was handed to him.
Vezi said he was called to a cemetery in Clairwood. While there, the receptionist offered to pay him R400 to get rid of what he estimates to be 15 refuse bags.
"I asked where I should dispose of it," he said.
The receptionist responded, she did not know where the person who normally does it disposes of the 'dirt'. So he could dispose of it anywhere.
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Vezi said he went to the Isiphingo waste management and they refused to let him dump there.
"They directed me to a landfill site in Illovo," he said.
Seeing that it would be too far, he decided to dump the 'dirt' close to his home and proceeded to drive to fetch people working elsewhere.
"I got a call from a friend telling me I had disposed of human bones in the area," he said.
The local councilor, induna and police were called. Forensic vehicles also arrived at the scene and disposed of some of the bags.
More bags were collected on Tuesday. The bones looked aged and some had sand on them.
Investigations regarding the origins continue as police are in contact with the cemetery, trying to find out how the bones ended up in refuse bags.