East London Mother Discovers Decomposed Body of Missing Daughter
- An East London mother's worst fear came to life when she discovered the decomposed body of her missing daughter
- Amnikiwe "Nikki" Damani disappeared on 30 November 2025 after she went out with a friend in East London, Eastern Cape
- Her lifeless body was found by community members four days after she went missing
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Facebook
The body of a 23-year-old woman, Amnikiwe "Nikki" Damani, who went missing on 30 November 2025, has been found. Damani was last seen by her family in Ncera Village, East London, Eastern Cape, after she went out with a friend.
Decomposed body found in a bush
Damani's mother said that the gruesome scene of her daughter's body in a bush would haunt her for the rest of her life. The family spotted her shoes not far from their homestead on Monday, 1 December.
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This sparked a search by community members, led by the anti-crime forum Zonke Villages. Lorna Damani, the mother of the 23-year-old, was part of the group of community members who found the body. The mother said that while they were searching, one person screamed after seeing the body. Members of the community did not want the mother to go closer because the body was badly decomposed.
Four suspects handed over to police
According to News24, Siphiwo Yazi, anti-crime activist and chairperson of Zonke Villages, said that community members had assisted in finding the suspects. Four suspects were arrested by the South African Police Service. Yazi stated that they found the suspects and handed them over to the police. The chairperson said that the community demands justice and that the suspects should not be given bail.
According to the police, the four suspects are aged between 19 and 23 years. The victim was last seen at around 17:00 on Sunday, 30 November. Police said that the victim's parents found the shoes around 05:00 on Monday, 1 December, while they were on their way to the hospital. Angry residents protested outside the court on Tuesday, 9 December, demanding that the accused not be granted bail.
Source: Getty Images
Other stories about bodies being found in SA
Briefly News previously reported that a waste picker discovered the body of a newborn baby in a dustbin in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Members of the community made the gruesome discovery. The paramedics attempted to resuscitate the child, but they were unsuccessful, and the baby was declared dead on the scene.
A family dog in Tzaneen, Limpopo, uncovered a shocking find while digging in the backyard. The South African Police Service launched a murder investigation and a widespread manhunt after the discovery. Officers also uncovered a maize-meal bag covered in soil and buried in a shallow grave.
Furious residents in Site C, Khayelitsha, Western Cape, are demanding justice after a 16-year-old was found murdered. The lifeless body of Kwakhanya “Ntlanganiso” Mhlanganisi was found in Site C, Khayalitsha, with multiple injuries. The 16-year-old Mhlanganisi was allegedly confronted by a group of boys who mocked him after they tried to rob him.
Source: Briefly News
