George Nkuna inspects the mystery coffin found in their graveyard. Photo by Samson

RESIDENTS of New Eersterus, Hammanskraal are panicking about a mysterious coffin found in their communal cemetery at the weekend. CPF member in the area, George Nkuna, said he was informed of the coffin by children playing nearby on Friday. “I went to investigate and found the coffin a few metres from the grave sites. “The lid and handles were missing. “We inspected all the graves to see if any of them had been tampered with – but only a few had been freshly covered. Whoever left the coffin there intended to hide it,” he said. “We could see from the dirt around it that it had been previously used. We suspect that someone stole the body and abandoned the coffin,” said Nkuna. He said they told police sector manager, Warrant Officer Sydney Rakua, who advised them to burn the coffin! Resident Luisa Mathombo: “We cannot patrol our loved ones’ graves. If there is crime in this matter, the police must bring suspects to book,” she said. Lieutenant Sarah Lesabane of Temba police said she could not comment as no charges were laid.