This is believed to be the victim of five cannibals who were arrested after the brutal rape and murder of a young woman whose flesh was then eaten in a scandal that is rocking South Africa.

Zanele Hlatshwayo, 25, is thought to be the woman who was murdered and cut up before her flesh was shared around neighbours in an unfolding cannibal saga in Estcourt, a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province.

More than 300 people in surrounding villages have so far admitted to knowingly eating human flesh, and at the home of one of the arrested men eight human ears were found in a cooking pot.

Many villagers have come forward to report relatives and friends missing leading to police fear there could be many more victims.

Zanele Hlatshwayo, 25, is thought to be the woman who was murdered and cut up before her flesh was shared around neighbours in an unfolding cannibal saga in Estcourt, a town in the uThukela District of KwaZulu-Natal Province

Armed police stand guard outside the magistrates court in Estcourt, South Africa, where crowds gathered following the brief court appearance of men accused of killing and eating human flesh

Hlatshwayo's mother, Philiswe, now fears the worst after police showed the family blood-soaked clothing found on what was left of the body which appeared to belong to that of her daughter, from Shayamoya.

Hlatshwayo vanished on July 25 after heading for Pietermaritzburg to visit her grandmother and had stopped to see relatives at Estcourt 20 miles away en-route. She never arrived at her intended final destination.

Detectives said the alleged victim's mother was not overly concerned, but her feelings changed on Monday when Hlatshwayo's cousin Nozipho Hlatshwayo heard that four men had been arrested in Estcourt for cannibalism.

They, along with a fifth man, have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder as part of an alleged cannibalism ring which could include untold victims.

The first four arrested, including two which doctors, were taken into custody after a man walked into a police station and told officers he was 'tired of eating human flesh' and produced human body parts as proof.

A fifth man was arrested on Wednesday and will appear in court with the other four on Monday for a formal bail hearing.

Hlatshwayo's cousin, Nozipho Hlatshwayo, has spoken out about the woman's July disappearance

Times Live reported how Nozipho, of Estcourt, phoned an aunt in Pietermaritzburg to check if Hlatshwayo was safe. When she was told she had never arrived she said she was 'chilled to the spine'.

Nozipho, with tears in her eyes, said:'We went straight to the police. An officer asked us what Zanele had been wearing on the day she left home. I was so close to Zanele that I knew even the colour of underwear she had on the day.

'She wore black leggings, a shirt and a bag in which she had stuffed her jeans. I gave the police officer this description and he asked us to wait.'

When the police officer returned, he carried into the room what Nozipho believes is the outfit Hlatshwayo had been wearing - soaked in blood.

They were told an armless, beheaded and severely mutilated body had been found in Esigodlweni, east of Estcourt, in a veld.

The Hlatshwayos are among about half-a-dozen families who have since gone to police in Estcourt to check whether their missing loved ones were victims in the cannibalism scandal that has rocked the largely rural community.

Nozipho said that just before Hlatshwayo left for Pietermaritzburg she had spoken to them about apparent kidnappings in the area. She was reportedly worried that abductions were on the rise.

Nozipho said: 'The police would not show us her body and the body has been sent for a post-mortem. The body will not be released until the identity is confirmed.'

Cannibals: The three men were arrested in after one of them handed himself over to police, admitting that he had grown tired of eating human flesh, and officers were led to a house, pictured, where body parts and a mutilated body of a woman were found

Following the arrest of a fifth man believed to be involved in the bizarre cannibalism scandal in at least three villages surrounding Estcourt, police believe more suspects and accomplices will be arrested.

Armed guards have been brought in to increase security at the court appearances for the suspected cannibals, as tempers are running hot with a large number of local people reported missing.

The revelations prompted villagers in Esigodlweni to hold a public meeting where 300 admitted eating human flesh or digging up bodies and selling their bones to traditional witch doctors.

After the first man walked into the police station with body parts, he led officers to a house where more body gruesome remains were found which led to the discovery of the woman's mutilated body.

A trio of alleged cannibals aged 22, 29, and 32 were initially arrested and two are said to be witch doctors or traditional healers. A fourth and fifth arrest were made over the following days.

Ward councillor Mthembeni Majola who hosted the meeting in Esigodlweni told News 24 that around 300 residents confessed to visiting the two witchdoctors and knowingly eating human flesh given to them.

Gone vegetarian: One of the killers walked into the police station in Estcourt, pictured, and told officers that he had become 'tired of eating human flesh'

He said: 'Families, people we know and live with, have now confessed to eating this woman. There has to be more victims if 300 say they have eaten. It cannot be only one.

'When the police were following this matter they discovered eight ears in a pot where one man was staying. That means there is much more to this'.

Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said the man handed over body parts during questioning

He told the newsite that many also admitted to digging up graves and giving one of the witchdoctors bones which they were told would make them strong and protect them from harm and bring wealth.

Colonel Thembeka Mbhele confirmed five men had been arrested and faced a number of charges relating to the possession of human organs and tissue and that three face charges of murdering a woman.

He said: 'Three are alleged to have murdered a woman and then cut her body up and allegations are that some consumed some of her flesh and body parts were shared with a fourth suspect.

'Human remains were found at one crime scene in Estcourt and at another crime scene in Amangwe. At this time only one person is suspected of being killed and her identity is as yet unknown.

'This came after a man walked into a police station and said he was tired of eating human flesh and when questioned produced part of a human leg and hand.

'Further investigations led police to a house where they were met with a foul smell and more human remains were found. It is alleged three men raped, killed and cut up a the body which they then consumed'.

The killing of people in South Africa for their body parts to be used in 'muti' (medicine) by witchdoctors is not uncommon and people with albinism are particularly at risk of so called muti-killings.

Police continue to investigate the cannibal killing and the search for more victims.