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Police in Port Alfred are investigating a case of culpable homicide after the body of a 35-year-old man was found floating in the Kowie River on Saturday morning.
Spokesperson Captain Mali Govender says the deceased was identified by his family as Buyelekhaya Zuma who turned out to be the driver of a Corsa Bakkie that plunged into the river earlier this week.
She says on Tuesday, police received reports of a bakkie that went off Wharf Street and into the river.
When police arrived at the scene they found the vehicle submerged in the water.
The body of a woman was found inside.
Captain Govender says at the time they could not establish whether or not the woman was the driver as she had no license on her.
She has since been identified as the 36-year-old Nwabisa Mfikili who had recently relocated from Centane to Port Alfred.
On Saturday the police investigation changed from an inquest docket to that of culpable homicide after Zuma, who was the owner and driver of the vehicle was found.
Captain Govender says it has been established thus far that both deceased were in the vehicle heading home on Tuesday morning after dropping off a friend nearby when the bakkie veered off the road.
She says during the investigation they heard from eyewitnesses who stated that they saw a person who managed to get out of the vehicle before it sank, however, he could not swim to safety.
Divers had been looking for his body ever since.
