The Phuthaditjhaba police and Maluti-a-Phofung municipality’s rescue and diving team recovered the child’s body after he was reported to have drowned in the Kgoptjane River on 19 September. He was reported missing after friends allegedly witnessed him drowning.

Several attempts were made to locate and recover the body, but adverse weather conditions hampered the search. Police and rescue teams continued searching the area despite the difficult conditions, Free State police spokesperson WO Mmako Mophiring said.

Various resources were used during the operation, including a police helicopter to search the surrounding area. Community members noticed what appeared to be a human body trapped near a tree in the river on Tuesday and immediately alerted the police.

Officers responded to the scene and, together with the rescue team, retrieved the body from the river. The deceased was later positively identified by his uncle as Letlogang Reitumetse Mokakuoa, Mophiring said.

The recovery brings an end to a lengthy search and provides the family with answers after days of waiting for news about the child. An inquest docket has been opened to establish the circumstances surrounding his death, Mophiring said.

The Phuthaditjhaba police and Maluti-a-Phofung municipality’s rescue and diving team recovered the child’s body after he was reported to have drowned in the Kgoptjane River. Photo: SAPS

Another body was recovered from a river near Phuthaditjhaba in June. The decomposed body of an unidentified man was discovered in the Namahadi River near Clubview after a community member reported seeing a body floating in the water.

The man’s body had been wrapped in a blanket and tied to a stone with wire. It was already in an advanced state of decomposition, making it impossible at the time to determine whether there were any visible injuries, Mophiring previously said.

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