Bloodied ‘Hands’ Near Durban School Confirmed as Rubber Props
SOUTH AFRICA – Panic swept through a Phoenix community on Wednesday morning after what appeared to be severed human hands were discovered near a primary school.
Wrapped in a bloodstained cloth and lying beside a boundary wall, the limbs looked disturbingly real.
Forensic experts later confirmed they were rubber props.
The discovery was made by a newspaper distributor walking along Oregan Street in Trenance Park, Verulam. He spotted the limbs partially exposed from the cloth, with what looked like an animal tongue nearby.
The scene’s proximity to a school playground immediately raised fears of a violent crime or ritualistic act.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) arrived within minutes and cordoned off the area. Officers conducted a sweep of the surroundings, searching for additional remains or evidence.
The case was handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Verulam for further investigation.
Police transported the limbs to the eThekwini District Medico-Legal Mortuary, where forensic experts conducted a detailed analysis.
Although the hands appeared lifelike — complete with realistic skin tone and anatomical detail — a state pathologist demonstrated in a video shared by RUSA that they were synthetic.
He bent and twisted the fingers to show they were made of rubber, not human tissue.
Prem Balram, spokesperson for RUSA, confirmed the props were “very realistic, but definitely not human.”
Despite the confirmation, the initial shock had already rippled through the community.
Parents rushed to collect their children, and speculation spread rapidly on social media, with many fearing a muti killing or gang-related violence.
By midday, police had ruled out any criminal activity. No case was opened, and the incident was classified as a hoax or prank.
The origin of the props remains unknown. Investigators have yet to determine who placed them at the scene or why.
-TimesLIVE
