The charred remains of a body were recovered in Duduza's ward 111 in Ekurhuleni on Monday, the fifth to be discovered in recent months.

The body of an unknown man was found burnt beyond recognition at an illegal dumping site next to Chance Orphanage Home under a half-scorched ceiling board and an empty petrol container.

The victim's upper body was badly burnt. His legs were not as burnt, which helped the police in identifying his sex.

The residents of John Dube in Duduza fear that bodies are dumped in the area because the street lights do not function, plunging the area into darkness.

Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, Ward 111 councillor Zingisile Mabhe agreed with the residents' assessment of the problem. He said the area is very dark at night because the street lights are not working.

"We believe this gives criminals an opportunity to dump bodies and commit crime in the area as they know they wouldn't be seen or identified in the dark," he said.

"The bodies are often not residents of this ward which makes it difficult to identify them."

The councillor added that he will be submitting a request to the Metro for the street lights to be fixed to allow for better visibility.

Resident Maria Nkosi said the discovery has left her traumatised and she is still haunted by the image of what she saw.

"It mustn't happen that bodies are dumped in the area exposing residents to such a traumatic experience," she said.

She said school children come into the area on their way to school.

"It was only by luck that they didn't see the body," she said.

"We are pleading with the police to find those responsible for this and hold them accountable."

Duduza police spokesperson Sergeant Harry Manaka is calling on anyone with a missing family member to come forward to help identify the deceased family members.