A KwaZulu-Natal family is reeling after days of searching for their loved one, a provincial public order police officer, ended with a burnt body found in the back of the officer’s car in one of the epicentres of violence and looting this week.

Police spokesperson Col Brenda Muridili told SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE on Sunday that Mariannhill police were investigating cases of murder, kidnapping, malicious damage to property, and the theft of a firearm.

A family member, who spoke to TimesLIVE on Sunday, said a body was found in the boot of the car of their brother who went missing on Tuesday.

Muridili and the family member said the officer was not on duty when he went missing.

The family member said they were waiting for the state forensic pathology reports to establish whether the body was that of their brother.

A tweet was posted by a friend on Thursday in the midst of chaos and violent looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng appealing to the public to help them find the missing policeman, who was from Savannah Park, Mariannhill, Pinetown.

More than 200 people were killed in this week’s violence. Some were allegedly shot in vigilante justice, many were trampled to death, and police were investigating several murders which took place during the unrest.

Muridili said the officer’s car was found on Wednesday at 9pm along Milky Way Road in Mariannhill. The family were only told on Sunday about the discovery.

The short stretch of road is also the home of the Mariannhill police station where the officer was stationed.

TimesLIVE