Central SA
Vanderbijlpark police investigate death of Hoërskool Driehoek teenager after boating accident─── 14:25 Mon, 12 Jan 2026
Vanderbijlpark police are investigating the cause of death of a teenager whose body was found in the Vaal River after a boating accident.
The body of Thomas Sithole (17) was found on Monday (12/1) by two boys on jet skis near the bridge at Stonehaven on Vaal. The learner from Hoërskool Driehoek was reported missing on Saturday.
Thomas was allegedly last seen during the cruise with a group of friends, who claim they realised he was missing when the boat was returning to its destination. The incident reportedly happened at around 18:00, but his parents were only notified four hours later.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched on Saturday and Sunday. Photo: Vaalweekblad/Sifiso Jimta
Search and rescue teams were dispatched on Saturday and Sunday. Friends and relatives gathered along the riverbanks at Abrahamsrust Resort, where police divers have been conducting search operations.
The boat the boys were in was small, and most of the passengers were seated at the front. When the group decided to rearrange seating, they realised that Thomas was no longer on the boat.
The group allegedly turned back and searched near the resort, but could not find him. Vaalweekblad reported conflicting statements from the people on board, making it impossible to send in police divers.
Thomas was part of the 2026 matric council at Hoërskool Driehoek. Photo: Supplied
No one could say for certain where Thomas fell off the boat. Divers can only dive for a certain number of hours a day, and they couldn’t risk wasting those hours in the wrong place.
Thomas’s family last saw him on Tuesday when he left home to visit a friend, Sedibeng Ster reported. His father, Steven, said the versions of events relayed to the family do not add up.
“We are told different stories, and that’s why we are not satisfied. We feel something is wrong,” he said. “We want to know where the boat they travelled on is.
“The fact that the family that they visited is not here to show remorse that our child is lost is concerning. There are a lot of stories, but we will leave it to the police to investigate.”
• Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatsapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.
OFM News mvh
