The family of two women who died after "jumping" out of a speeding vehicle say they suspect foul play.

Cousins Kgomotso Moagi and Mmantjana Maimela, both 26, allegedly jumped off a Nissan double-cab bakkie with three unidentified men when the driver apparently failed to stop at their destination at about 4am on Tuesday.

The five had asked for a lift from the unidentified driver.

Provincial police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed that the women - from Bismark village in Ga-Sekororo outside Tzaneen - were hitch-hiking when they were picked up by the driver.

He said Moagi and Maimela were among five passengers who jumped out of the car after the driver refused to stop at their destination.

Maimela's father Sam Maimela told Sowetan yesterday they suspected the women were killed elsewhere and dumped along the road to make it look like they jumped from the vehicle.

"There were no visible injuries or broken bones in their bodies. We also found their handbags and earrings next to them.

"If people jump out of a moving vehicle, they will fall a distance away from each other and [will] not be found on the same spot," Maimela said.

He said he suspected that his daughter and niece were killed elsewhere. He has since urged the police to dig deeper [in their investigations].

"Their deaths don't add up. We want police to interrogate the survivors as to what transpired when my family [members] died. The children were coming from a nearby tavern in Metz village where they were celebrating Reconciliation Day on Monday."

Moagi's sister Shelly Moagi said her younger sister was found dead with her shoes on and handbag on her shoulder.

"Her body was facing up as if she was picked up somewhere and put there. It is our suspicion that the two were killed. However, we will wait for the postmortem results to tell [us] what happened to them," she said.

She said they didn't know who the three men who also jumped and were injured were.

Mojapelo said the five hitchhikers alerted the driver when they reached their destination but he apparently failed to stop, leading to the group allegedly jumping off the car. He said the women sustained head and body injuries.

"The driver did not stop after the incident. Police were notified by community members and responded quickly together with the medical emergency services. On arrival, Moagi and Maimela were certified dead after suffering multiple injuries," he said.

He added that the other three passengers, aged between 19 and 21, were taken to the local hospital and were in a critical condition. "The driver of the vehicle is unknown at this stage and police have opened two counts of culpable homicide for investigation," Mojapelo said.

Local ward councillor Masia Mathipa said the community was shocked and wanted answers. "I also suspect that Moagi and Maimela didn't fall or jump from a speeding car. This happened on a gravel road... we would expect the deceased to have had head and body injuries or torn clothes, but that was not the case."