Birds at a KwaZulu-Natal nature reserve led a tourist to the lifeless body of a 31-year-old pregnant nurse, which had been dumped in a ditch in Oribi Gorge, near Port Shepstone.
Police have confirmed that a murder is being investigated and that a docket has been opened with police in Paddock.
The provincial health department said on Tuesday that the body of Nelisa Cele was found last week.
"On Friday, a Johannesburg tourist who had been following birds and taking photographs at a nature reserve was led by the birds to Ms Cele's lifeless body. It was covered in a cloth and stuck on tree branches near an embankment," the department said.
The six-month-pregnant woman was an enrolled nurse at Gamalakhe Community Health Centre.
KZN Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo expressed his deepest condolences to Cele's family.
"The murder of a healthcare worker is always a sad day for us because these are people who are tasked to do the Lord's work, which is to save lives and bring healing to those who are ailing. These incidents are therefore extremely concerning. There is just no place for brutal incidents such as this one in our society," Dhlomo said.
According to the department, Cele went missing last Wednesday when she was off duty to take delivery of a new car.
The department added that it was also believed that whoever had murdered her had tried to throw her body down an embankment.
Dhlomo has called on law enforcement authorities to do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to book.
"…[We] would also like to urge anyone who might have information regarding this murder to come forward and alert law enforcement authorities," Dhlomo added.