The search for a missing person in Inchanga, KwaZulu-Natal, has ended with the discovery of a body and the arrest of a suspect on charges including murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Kwanele Ngcobo, who had been missing for almost a month before his body was located at the bottom of a cliff in the Inchanga area.
The search operation was launched after police requested assistance from Magma Security and Investigations in locating Ngcobo.
A joint operation involving PMB Crime Intelligence, SAPS Mountain Rise, SAPS Inchanga, Durban K9 Search and Rescue, PMB Search and Rescue, and Magma Security and Investigations was subsequently conducted in the area.
Search teams worked through difficult terrain as they attempted to locate the missing man. Police search-and-rescue personnel and K9 units were involved in the operation, with additional resources used to assist the search.
Ngcobo’s body was eventually located at the bottom of a cliff and recovered by rescue personnel.
The discovery led to a murder investigation as police worked to establish the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death.
Ngcobo had been reported missing after his family was unable to locate him. A missing-person case was opened at Mountain Rise police station on 21 September.
The investigation subsequently led search teams towards the Inchanga area, where the body was found.
Police also investigated information relating to an alleged housebreaking incident at a property in Copesville. Investigators are examining whether the incident could assist in establishing what happened to Ngcobo.
Following the recovery of the body, one suspect was arrested in connection with the investigation.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg court on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, where he is expected to face charges of murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
A pistol was also recovered during the operation.
The outcome of the operation was:
- One suspect arrested
- One missing person located and recovered deceased
- One firearm recovered
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to establish the full circumstances surrounding Ngcobo’s disappearance and death.
The suspect remains innocent until proven guilty and will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations through the court process.
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