The search for Wartburg man, Dayalan “Daya” Govender (69), who went missing in February, ended tragically with the gross discovery of his decomposing remains in an isolated field on Sunday.
The discovery was made by two boys while they were out hunting on Sunday morning.
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The young boys called the New Hanover police to alert them of their find.
The remains were found a few meters from the roadway, hidden among long grass on Marikana Main Road.
Govender had gone missing on February 15; however his family only found out that he was missing two weeks later. His family has been searching for him since.
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When The Witness Arrived on the scene, Govender’s family was in the process of identifying the remains, which were already badly decomposed.
Govender’s clothing, a blue and white striped shirt, a belt and a pair of jeans with a set of keys still clipped to the pant’s belt loop was found meters away from his body.
Govender’s family members, who were accompanied by police members to the scene, were visibly emotional when they positively identified their belongings.
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Govender’s eldest daughter Pooveshree Govender, who was overcome with emotion, said they received a call from the New Hanover police station while they were at church. They were told that a body had been discovered which they needed to identify.
We just left church and rushed here. Once we got the call that there is body with a set of keys with it, we knew it could be him. My father never went anywhere without his keys. We just contacted my immediate siblings and we got here.
She said that the family wants answers about her father’s disappearance and the cause of his death.
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We are shocked that his body was found here. It is so far from where he stays. How did he end up here? He was a harmless man. What was the need to do this to him? We have been searching for so long and this is what has happened. We want to find answers about who did this to him.
Govender’s youngest daughter Kameshree Naick, who spoke to The Witness When Govender went missing she said that she had hope that her father would be found alive.
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I still believed that we will find him somewhere. He didn’t deserve to be found like this. We looked all over, only for our search to end there. I still had hope that he will be alive.
Pietermaritzburg police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala said an inquest is being investigated at this stage.
“The discovery of a skeleton was made by two boys around 8 am. They called the New Hanover police who attended to the matter.
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“At this stage we are awaiting the DNA and post-mortem results which will determine the cause of his death,” said Gwala.
