Four of the six bodies found near a farm near Kraaifontein, Cape Town, have been identified, Western Cape provincial commissioner Arno Lamoer said on Thursday.

“What we know at this stage is that four of the victims have been identified by detectives and families and the other two, we are sorting out identities,” he told reporters at the Kraaifontein police station.

The four men were from Wallacedene.

He said the SA Police Service was shocked by the discovery of the bodies in Joostenberg Vlakte on Wednesday morning.

Lamoer said police were on the crime scene between 10am and 7pm on Wednesday.

“All the possible evidence was collected and we are happy that [investigating] the crime scene is over.”

A task team comprised of senior leadership at the local police station, as well as senior detectives, was set up to investigate the matter further.

Lamoer said they hoped to identify the culprits urgently and were offering a R250,000 reward for information leading to arrest and successful prosecution.

“We will work until we finalise this case and make sure everything is done.”

Police earlier said they suspected that the six men, aged between 18 and 30, had been stoned to death.

The bodies of the six men were discovered lying face down with their hands tied behind their backs by passers-by.

Lamoer said he would not enter speculation that the deaths were the result of vigilantism or so-called Buntu-courts, nor whether the men were killed at the site.

“Yes, that is a dumping site for everything. We can’t say at this point in time whether the bodies were dumped there or whether it is a killing field as is being claimed.” SAPA