Mpumalanga Police Department found two dead bodies in consecutive days in the Mashobote area near the Schoemanskloof. The latest dead body was found with gunshot wounds alongside the N4 main road in the Mashobote area on Thursday October, 1 2026.
The first dead body was found on Wednesday September, 30 2026 along the R539 near Mashoboto Hills. According to the Police Department spokesperson, Brigadier Donald Mdhluli the second dead body was discovered by a community member who further reported to the police department. The dead body was identified as foreign national.
The police began the investigation regarding both the dead bodies found in the Mashobote area. The Police Department stated that the discovery of dead bodies can be linked with recent gunfire that broke out between the revival groups of illegal miners in the area. As police officers recovered a discarded empty magazine of an AK-47 rifle along with two bullets.
Brigadier Mdhluli said, “It is suspected that the murders could be related to the ongoing fight between rival groups of illegal miners in the area”.
Additionally, the first gunfire was reported on September 29, when police officers responded to a shooting in the area and found blood stains at the scene. The following day, September 30, police found the first dead body. Later that evening, locals reported another major gunfight at the area, which reportedly continued for around 40 minutes.
The local community members described the incident as a war zone. Moreover, after the first and second gunfire broke out, the Police department temporarily closed the N4 on Schoemanskloof and R539 road for the safety of the motorist.
Notably, Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise shared that a special team of police detectives has been appointed to investigate the gunfire and the discovery of the two dead bodies.