A suspected cannibal who allegedly murdered his niece and then roasted and ate her right thigh is expected to appear in the Harding Magistrate’s Court in southern KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Zandra Hechter said the man was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly killed his sister’s three-year-old daughter and attempted to kill her other children.

Hechter said the children were left at home with their uncle when their mother went to visit her boyfriend.

“On her return around 3am she couldn’t find the children. After a lengthy search she found the body of her three-year-old daughter stuffed in a mealie bag in the room.”

Hechter said the child had sustained a chop wound on the head and a large chunk of flesh had been cut off her right thigh. Her other two children said their uncle had attacked them with a bushknife while they were asleep. The children said they ran away but left their sister behind.

“The one boy sustained a chop wound to the head whilst the other sustained a chop wound to the right arm. They were both taken to hospital and are in a stable condition,” said Hechter.

Hechter said the uncle was arrested in a nearby kraal.

“After investigation by detectives it was established that the suspect could have eaten the flesh of the child as he was carrying a bag of salt with him and blood stains were found in the salt. It is also believed that he roasted the flesh over an open fire” said Hechter.

The uncle was charged with murder and attempted murder and the mother of the children was charged with culpable homicide and child neglect.

Hechter said the surviving two children had been taken to a place of safety. – Sapa