The residents of the Pine Valley informal settlement located in Wolseley allegedly took matters into their own hands when they torched the trailer home of a man who was arrested in connection with the murder of Bernadine Frans (21).

Community members alerted the police to suspicious activity in the Pine Valley area after 11pm on Saturday evening. Upon arrival police made the gruesome discovery. The suspect who also resides in the area was subsequently arrested.

A 33-year-old man was arrested when he was caught dragging Frans’ body on Saturday, October 24. Police are now investigating whether he is linked to the murder of two others in the area.

“The 33-year-old suspect arrested has been charged with murder and will appear in court in Wolseley,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa.

On Sunday [October 25], police were called out to the area again where a shallow grave was discovered on an open field by a passerby.

“With the assistance of the forensic pathology services, a yet-to-be identified woman’s body was dug up from the shallow grave. A further search of the area by police led to the discovery of another grave not far from the first one. A second body whose identity, age and gender have not been determined yet, was discovered,” Potelwa said.

Residents of the Boland town gathered at its police station and charred remains of the suspect’s trailer on Monday, October 26.

Anyone with information can anonymously contact Detective Pieters of Wolseley police at 079 894 0195; Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.

Picture: Twitter

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.