By A Correspondent – A crocodile believed to have killed a 59-year-old businessman has raised further alarm after investigators uncovered human remains alongside several pairs of shoes inside its stomach.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the reptile was recovered from the Komati River near Komatipoort during a coordinated multi-agency operation. Officers reported finding multiple items inside the animal, including Crocs shoes and flip-flops.

The discovery came shortly after human remains were recovered from the same crocodile on Sunday. Authorities believe the remains belong to a 59-year-old businessman from Vanderbijlpark who went missing after his vehicle became stuck at a low-lying bridge in the area.

His disappearance triggered an extensive search operation involving SAPS, emergency medical services, and other emergency response teams, which continued for several days.

SAPS Captain Johan “Pottie” Potgieter said the crocodile had been monitored for days, with aerial surveillance assisting in tracking its movements along the river.

“We had been following a specific crocodile over several days and were highly confident it was linked to the incident we were investigating,” Potgieter said.

He explained that while soft tissue decomposes rapidly inside a predator, synthetic materials such as rubber footwear do not break down easily, which is why the shoes were still visible in the stomach contents.
“We recovered around six different pairs of Crocs and flip-flops from the crocodile,” he said. “It is difficult to determine their exact origin, but it highlights the high level of crocodile activity in this river system.”

Potgieter further noted that the presence of multiple pairs of footwear has raised questions about whether the crocodile may have had previous encounters involving humans, underscoring the ongoing danger posed by large reptiles in the Komati River area.