The smell of burning flesh led passersby to the smouldering remains of an unidentified woman, burnt beyond recognition, in the bush alongside the N3 highway near the Church Street offramp yesterday.
ER24 paramedic Neil Noble described the scene as ghastly.
Noble said that only the woman's hands and feet had remained undamaged.
"Early indications show that this is the body of a woman and that a flammable liquid was poured over her before she was set alight," he said
"There are no signs of a struggle, which would indicate that she may have been killed before being burnt, or she was unconscious.
"A pair of panties lay next to her left arm. She had no clothes on her lower body, however there was a cloth which was tied around her face. Dry branches and sticks were found over her body, as well as numerous matches," said Noble.
Also on the scene was Insp Jack Haskins, of the K9 Search and Rescue Unit, who said he intended to return to the area with his dog, Butch, which is trained to sniff out traces of blood or semen.
Supt Joshua Gwala said the woman had been wearing grey running shoes with white stripes and a pair of multi-coloured socks.
He dismissed reports that the murder might be the work of a serial rapist or killer, saying there was no evidence to that effect.
Police are appealing to anyone with information that can assist in their investigation to contact Capt Malcolm Gwynn at 033 845 2756 or Crime Stop at 086 001 0111.