Tired workers returning home on Tuesday night were left shocked after finding a man on fire at a dumping site along Botfontein Road in Scottsdene, Kraaifontein.
Freek Jason, 38, says there was nothing they could do to save the unidentified man and he died on the scene.
“It was the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen in my life and I will not be able to forget about this soon,” the shaken man says.
“We took a shortcut through there because there was no public transport due to the taxi violence.
“We saw the smoke from a distance and when we got to the dumping site near the sewage dam, we saw it was a person that was on fire.
“I was so shocked I could not even shout, we were all shocked.
“It looked like a young, coloured man, he was lying on his back on the ground and his whole body was on fire. You could smell the burning flesh.
“We all screamed and thought we could help but then we saw it was too late.
“Everyone just stood gaping as he burnt, but someone called the Kraaifontein Police who arrived quickly on the scene.
“One person at the scene said he thought he knew the guy from Scotssdene but he couldn’t be sure, we can only hope that they find his family.”
SAPS’ Andrè Traut says the circumstances surrounding the death of the unknown man are being investigated.
He says: “The victim was set alight. The motive is unknown and suspects are yet to be arrested.”