2 Men Arrested After Human Organs Found in Buckets at Soweto Property

• JMPD officers arrested two suspects at a Naledi property after receiving a tip-off about a vehicle being stripped on Nape Street
• Officers discovered a hijacked National Department of Health vehicle in the garage and two buckets allegedly containing human organs
• Investigations are ongoing as SAPS and JMPD work to identify the origin of the organs and locate the homeowner

JOHANNESBURG - Two men are facing charges after JMPD's Tactical Response Unit made a grim discovery at a house in Naledi, Soweto on Thursday, 9 July 2026.

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla explained that the unit was carrying out routine patrols in the area when someone tipped them off about a car allegedly being dismantled at a home on Nape Street. When the team reached the address, they noticed the gate had been left open, and the front door wasn't fully closed. Nobody answered when they knocked, so the officers proceeded to enter.

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Inside, they came across a man who directed them to the garage, claiming that's where the vehicle was, and that it belonged to the person who owned the house.

Hijacked health department vehicle found

The garage held a white Volkswagen Caddy belonging to the National Department of Health. Once officers ran the plates, it came back as a hijacked vehicle that had already been partially dismantled for parts.

A search of the rest of the yard turned up a second man, who was found hiding in the back of the property.

Fihla revealed that things took a darker turn from there, saying the search of the backyard turned up two buckets that appeared to hold human organs, thought to be hearts and lungs.

Both men were taken to Naledi SAPS, where they now face charges linked to the hijacked vehicle and possession of human remains. SAPS and JMPD are continuing to investigate where the organs came from, and are still trying to track down the actual owner of the property.

See the photos of the arrests below:

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Mzansi alarmed by the findings

The discovery prompted an outpouring of shock and speculation across the Facebook page.

@Patricia Dludlu asked:

"Who's body parts do they belong? They have a case to answer."

@Zaandy Dlamini raised concerns:

"Imagine you waiting for a heart transplant in the hospital and difficult to find that donor bona bathethe bayothengisa to traditional healers."

@Geta DM wrote:

"South Africa really dangerous country in world... and not in Africa only."

More on SA crime crackdowns

• Briefly News recently reported on two suspects arrested for the murder of a North West anti-crime activist, with one linked to two further killings.
• Johannesburg's mayor returned to a well-known building and found illegal trading still happening despite a court order.
• An elderly woman's arrest for allegedly housing undocumented foreign nationals sparked a heated debate about how far is too far.

Source: Briefly News