A truck carrying about 106 bodies found intercepted at the N2 near Somerset West on Saturday afternoon.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed police officers were currently on the scene to investigate the incident.
“We are probing the circumstances under which the corpses were being transported,” Traut said.
According to information, traffic officials stopped and searched the truck at the N2 weigh bridge near Somerset Mall and found 106 bodies, believed to be Covid-19 victims, inside.
The truck was believed to be en route to the Eastern Cape at the time.
The Western Cape Health Department says it is waiting on the final confirmation as to whether the over 100 corpses found on the truck were Covid-related deaths.
The Western Cape health department says it is awaiting final confirmation on whether the more than 100 corpses found in a truck that was stopped at a weighbridge in Somerset West on Saturday were those of people who died of Covid-19.
Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said the undertaker’s truck was stopped by traffic officials.
“It was found that all the paperwork to transport the bodies to the Eastern Cape for cremation was in order. As a result, the undertaker was allowed to continue his journey.”
Van der Heever added the department did not anticipate any risk to the public as the necessary permits were presented to traffic officials.
Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell told newsmen: “The officers stopped a truck at the Somerset weighbridge on the N2 in Somerset West on Saturday afternoon. When it was discovered that the truck was overloaded, the driver informed the officers he was transporting dead bodies to the Eastern Cape.”
Mitchell said provincial traffic officials immediately closed the weighbridge and handed the site over to the department and police for further investigation.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed police officers were on the scene to investigate the incident.
“We are probing the circumstances under which the corpses were being transported,” Traut said.
According to information, traffic officials stopped and searched the truck and found 106 bodies inside.
The truck was believed to be en route to the Eastern Cape at the time.