Staff Reporter.
Three bodies were found in a burnt out building in Durban’s Monty Naicker Street on Friday.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili, the bodies were discovered around noon.
“We can confirm the discovery of the remains of three people that were found in a burnt building earlier today,” Muridili said.
A retail outlet was looted and set alight during the wave of unrest two weeks ago, causing the partial collapse of the roof and the first floor.
Muridili said the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. The bodies have been sent for forensic analysis.
Personnel from the KwaZulu-Natal police search and rescue unit had earlier prepared to enter the building, an operation that was considered particularly dangerous as there had been concerns about the stability of the structure.
The grim discovery came amid efforts to revive the local economy following the deadly civil unrest in July.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni told Parliament this week that the cost of stock theft and damage to infrastructure following the looting was estimated at over R45 billion.
Government authorities in KwaZulu-Natal, which was the epicentre of the violence, have vowed to assist families who lost their loved ones during the unrest.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded 258 deaths following a week of the rolling violence and looting.