Security Guard Found Dead in Mfabantfu Forest After Two-Day Search

A 40-year-old security guard from Ekudzeni was found dead in Mfabantfu forest on Thursday, November 12, 2026, after a two-day search. The guard had gone missing on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, following an alleged domestic disagreement with his partner. Before his disappearance, he sent a distressing message to his mother, indicating that he would be found dead in a forest.

The search for the guard involved family members and community members who were concerned about his whereabouts and safety. Their efforts continued until his body was eventually discovered in the Mfabantfu forest during the early hours of Thursday. Police were called to the scene to conduct investigations and arrange for the body to be transported to the mortuary.

Preliminary information gathered by the police suggested that the guard may have died after ingesting a poisonous substance. However, the exact cause of death is yet to be established. The matter is being treated as an unnatural death, with an inquiry opened as authorities await post-mortem results to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.

A police officer who responded to the incident confirmed that they received a report about a man who had been found dead in the forest. The officer said upon their arrival at the scene, preliminary information indicated that the deceased had ingested a poisonous substance. The officer also disclosed that the information they had gathered established that the deceased was aged 40 and came from Ekudzeni.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Zwane confirmed the incident. Zwane also disclosed that two other people had lost their lives in separate incidents reported on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. In one incident, a 33-year-old man from Ngwane Park was found hanging inside his bathroom, while in another incident, a 37-year-old woman from Lawuba was discovered hanging from the rafters inside her bedroom.

The three deaths come against the backdrop of growing concern over suicide cases in the country. Statistics previously reported by the Times of Swaziland showed an increase in the number of people dying in suspected suicide incidents. In July 2025, the Royal Eswatini Police Service reported that 486 people had died by suicide between 2022 and 2024, with men accounting for more than 80 per cent of the recorded deaths.

The concern over suicide cases has extended to young people, with the Ministry of Health recently raising alarm over mental health challenges affecting pupils. The authorities are working to address the issue, but the latest incidents serve as a reminder of the need for continued efforts to prevent such tragedies. The police are continuing their investigations into the three deaths.

Key points

• The security guard's death is being treated as an unnatural death, with an inquiry opened as authorities await post-mortem results.
• Two other people died in separate incidents on November 11, 2026, with a 33-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman found hanging in their respective homes.
• The incidents highlight the growing concern over suicide cases in Eswatini, with 486 people reported to have died by suicide between 2022 and 2024.