An inquest has been opened after the body of a man was discovered during the firefighting operations in the Kouga region on Friday evening.
This, as firefighting efforts continued on Saturday with prevailing winds, dry vegetation and afternoon heat fuelling the ongoing fires in the region.
By Saturday afternoon the Kouga municipality had issued an evacuation order for the Linderhof area due the fire threat.
“All residents and occupants in Linderhof and surrounding homes must evacuate immediately.
“Follow instructions from emergency services on site,” the statement said.
The South African Police Service confirmed that the decomposed body was discovered at about 8.30pm on Friday, Police allege that the body was found burning at the scene.
Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said the discovery of the decompsed body was made at about 8.30pm by firefighters and community members responding to rapidly spreading fires on a farm in the Kouga area.
Gantana said the body was found burning at the scene and police are continuing their investigation to establish the identity of the deceased.
“Police are also investigating a possible link to a Missing Persons Report filed on 30 December 2025 for 63-year-old male, who was last seen near the Zwartenboch Golf Course in Humansdorp on 29 December 2025,” Gatana said.
In a statement issued on the Kouga municipality official Facebook page, it outlined a set of instructions for residents to follow during this period.
“When the Gift of the Givers water truck departs from the St Francis Airfield to collect water, under traffic escort, all residents and road users are kindly requested to give way immediately. This is critical to ensure an uninterrupted water supply for firefighting operations.”
In a positive update, Kouga Municipality confirmed that the fire at Fountains Mall has been successfully extinguished.
Authorities continue to monitor the various fires closely and have urged residents to follow evacuation instructions, remain vigilant, and avoid obstructing emergency operations as crews work to contain the fires across the region.
The Herald
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