KZN Police
KZN Police have confirmed that severed hands found in Trenance Park are fake amid a separate brutal murder in Phoenix, where an 83-year-old woman was killed and her 60-year-old daughter critically injured in a horrific home attack.
Gruesome Discovery in Verulam Turns Out to Be Hoax Props
A shocking find that sent ripples of fear through the Verulam community turned out to be a false alarm when KwaZulu-Natal police confirmed on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, that two severed hands discovered on the roadside in Trenance Park were realistic rubber props, not human remains. The alarm was raised early that morning when a newspaper delivery worker spotted what appeared to be human limbs wrapped in a blood-stained white cloth near the boundary wall of Trenance Park Primary School. The worker, fearing the worst, contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), who responded swiftly to the scene at around 12:12 SAST.
RUSA officers secured the area and recovered the items, which included the two severed hands and what looked like an animal tongue, all bundled in the cloth. Initial reports suggested a possible ritualistic or criminal motive, given the location outside a school and the bloody appearance. However, after preliminary investigations by the Verulam South African Police Service (SAPS), including examination at a medico-legal mortuary, it was determined that the hands were lifelike silicone or rubber replicas, commonly used as props in movies, Halloween decorations, or pranks. “After preliminary investigations were conducted, it has been discovered that the hands which were found today, 13 August 2025 in Trenance Park in Verulam, 4339, are in actual fact fake,” said KZN police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza.
The discovery sparked widespread speculation on social media, with residents expressing relief but also concern over who might have placed the props there and why. Some theorised it could be a prank gone wrong or an attempt to incite panic, while others linked it to rising crime in the area. Police have launched an inquiry into the incident to determine if it constitutes a hoax or public mischief, urging anyone with information to come forward. No arrests have been made, but the case highlights how realistic props can cause unnecessary alarm in communities already on edge due to high crime rates.
Horrific Family Attack in Phoenix Leaves Elderly Woman Dead and Daughter Fighting for Life
In a separate and tragic incident that has left the Phoenix community in shock, an 83-year-old woman was brutally murdered, and her 60-year-old daughter left critically injured after a savage knife attack at their home in Hexham, Phoenix, on Monday, 9 June 2025. The crime scene was discovered when the daughter’s husband returned home to find the door locked and no response from inside. Forcing entry, he found both women lying in pools of blood in the passage, with the elderly pensioner having sustained multiple stab wounds to her face and body, pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
The daughter, who suffered a slit throat and large stab wounds to her cheeks, neck, and hands, bled extensively but was stabilised on site before being rushed to hospital by ambulance. She remains in critical condition, fighting for her life. A large blood-stained butcher knife and a smaller bent knife were recovered from the scene, indicating the ferocity of the assault. KwaZulu-Natal police have opened cases of murder and attempted murder, with the woman’s son arrested as a suspect shortly after. He could not be located initially, raising suspicions, but was later taken into custody.
Neighbours reported hearing calls for help and rushed to assist, but the brutality of the attack has left many traumatised. This incident adds to a string of violent crimes in Phoenix, where family disputes and home invasions have become alarmingly common. Police are investigating motives, but community leaders have called for increased patrols and support for vulnerable elderly residents. The tragedy underscores the need for stronger family conflict resolution programmes in the area.
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