Family in fear after man found in shallow grave

“If they don’t let go of me, I [will] kill them all. If my father lives I have no life and manhood…”

These are the scribbled notes in a diary found in the house in Diepkloof, Soweto, of a man whose dismembered body was found buried in a shallow grave in Nasrec, Johannesburg, five days ago.

The man's body was transported in a drum from his home in Diepkloof and dumped at Nasrec.

Yesterday, police confirmed they were looking for the son of the 74-year-old man who was last seen by neighbours on January 28.

A relative of the deceased and the sought suspect, Moeketsi Mosala, 30, confirmed yesterday that she had positively identified the body of Nelson Mosala.

“Police have opened a case of murder after the body of a person who was reported missing was found in a shallow grave in Nasrec on February 3 2023. Police are searching for the son, who is a suspect in this case,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo.

The relative said she was living in fear as the suspect has not been arrested.

“I am scared for my life. I know I am next.”

In one of the entries in the diary, a mother, father and sister are named as people who are enemies. “R1,500 gun at hostel. No face, No case,” reads another entry.

“I received a call on December 31 from the deceased who had called me from the neighbour’s phone, telling me that Moeketsi had attacked him and pulled a knife on him.

“After this incident, I asked him why he was not opening a case against him because his life was clearly in danger. And he just did not do it [open case] because I think he was too lenient on him.

“When I heard that he was not seen in four days, I knew he had killed him. I had a feeling that I was next,” she said.

Neighbours said they grew worried on January 28 when four days had gone by and they had not seen the old man. They then contacted his daughter who arrived in the company of police.

Neighbour Joyce Raphiri said she was called by Mosala’s daughter to come and speak to her brother who had initially refused to let her into the house.

“While I was asking him about his father’s whereabouts, I noticed blood stains on his T-shirt and pants and a little bit on a wall inside the house but I made no mention of it and tried to maintain eye contact,” she said.

Raphiri said she was aware of the bad relations Mosala and his son had and the abuse Mosala went through at the hands of his son.

She said when his sister spoke about the blood stains, he allegedly became aggressive and threatened them.

She said she was shocked at Moeketsi’s actions. “He was such a quiet boy. You would never suspect such from him.”

She said when police left, residents gathered at the house.

Another neighbour who asked not to be named said they suspected that the father’s body was hidden in the house. “He would not get out of the house," she said.

The neighbour said they threw something that caused smoke into the house and he came out.

"Members of the community started to sjambok him but he would not speak. They threw stones at him and pepper-sprayed him but he was unshaken,” she said.

She said the house smelt of detergents which the father had manufactured as part of his business of supplying to hospitals.

The frightened relative said she was informed on Friday afternoon that a body had been found and that a man had pointed it out.

The relative said she identified the old man by the shape of his head, among other things.

“The one side of his face was intact. The other side of his face was bruised and swollen. I was only able to see him from hip up, so I am not sure how he was fitted into the drum.

“I am so scared because I was informed that he escaped from police custody. The only reason I am speaking is because I want him to be found, otherwise, my life is in danger and he knows where I live."

Masondo did not explain how Moeketsi escaped after he was saved from the angry mob and apprehended.

sibiyan@sowetan.co.za