STRANDFONTEIN – The discovery of a badly decomposed body on the shoreline at Blue Waters beach in Strandfontein on Monday morning (5 October) has reignited a painful mix of hope and anguish for the family of missing 22-year-old Slade van der Walt, as authorities await forensic testing to determine the deceased’s identity.

Van der Walt, a former South African youth weightlifting champion from Belhar, was swept out to sea at Strand beach on 2 September after bravely stepping in to rescue a colleague.

His disappearance sparked an extensive, month-long search involving Saps police divers, emergency services, relatives, and local community volunteers.

The grim discovery was made when a fisherman driving along the Strandfontein shoreline spotted a body floating in the surf. According to reports, the fisherman alerted Quemic rangers, who promptly contacted law enforcement. By the time officers arrived on scene, the body had washed ashore.

Police spokesperson Thembakazi Mpendukana confirmed that Strandfontein Saps has opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

“This office confirms that a decomposed body was discovered on Monday, 5 October, at the beach in Strandfontein around 06:30,” Mpendukana said.

ALSO READ: Family pleads to help them ‘bring Slade van der Walt home’

Due to the advanced state of decomposition, visual identification at the scene was impossible. Authorities noted that dark-coloured Adidas tracksuit pants were among the few distinguishing items of clothing visible, leading investigators to suspect the body had been in the water for several weeks.

Relatives of Van der Walt rushed to the beach after being notified of the discovery. Close family friend Wayne Steenberg cautioned that no identification has been established and that formal pathology and DNA testing will be required.

That moment of hope was quickly followed by heartbreak when subsequent details indicated the deceased might not be Van der Walt, with the family receiving information suggesting it could be a false alarm.

“We are waiting for the DNA results and we are hopeful, but also realise that it most likely isn’t Slade that’s been found”.

ALSO READ: Commercial pilot saves drowning swimmer off Strand Beach