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Reiger Park dad confirms burnt body is his son

Johannesburg – The father of Cuburne van Wyk, 3, who went missing on Wednesday, has confirmed that the body of a burnt toddler is his son, according to reports.

Eyewitness News reported that Elroy Peterson, the boy’s father, has no doubt the body found was his son.

He told EWN that he recognised the boy’s face when he visited the morgue.

Cuburne was reported missing from his parents’ home in Reiger Park last week, and on Saturday a body of burnt toddler was found by workers at a nearby mine.

eNCA reported that police had conducted a DNA test, but the results have not been confirmed to the media.

Earlier Gauteng Premir David Makhura, who visited the Reiger Park community, said: “We now have a case of Cuburne van Wyk here and in Westbury [Luke Tibbetts] another child passed on, again caught in the crossfire. This is a war we must win for the sake of our children and community. We must work together and be united."

Makhuru had urges Gauteng residents to wage war on crime to better protect their children.

"Crime is a big problem for us, our children are being killed… They are caught in the crossfire. We must wage war on crime and gangsterism."

Police are still looking for 25-year-old Katleho Phoku, known as "Chicken", who they think could help with the investigation into the boy's disappearance.

Police spokesperson Kweza said the child died as a result of multiple head injuries and burn wounds.

"The results from the DNA analysis process will follow at a later stage. Police investigations into his disappearance and now his death are still continuing," she said.

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