Missing Sedibeng College Student Found Dead in River
The search for missing Sedibeng College student Phakamile Mapfumu ended in tragedy this week after his decomposed body was discovered in the Blesbokspruit River near Ratanda.
According to SAPS, the grim discovery was made on Thursday, May 15, around 5pm, when two local fishermen noticed a strong odour coming from the riverbank while fishing. As they investigated, they spotted what appeared to be a human head floating in the water behind a group of trees. They immediately alerted the police.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after and confirmed that it was indeed a human body. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, no visible physical injuries could be observed at the time. An inquest docket has since been opened.
“On Friday morning, May 16, the body was formally identified by family members as 21-year-old Phakamile Mapfumu, a student from the Heidelberg campus of Sedibeng College. Originally from Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga, Mapfumu had been reported missing in late April after he was last seen at a local groove in the early hours of the morning,” Ratanda Police spokesperson Constable Moss Maluleke explained.
His disappearance sparked concern among fellow students and community members, with several calls for public assistance circulated on social media.
Police are continuing their investigation and are appealing to the public for any information that could help determine the circumstances leading to Mapfumu’s death.
Anyone with information is urged to contact:
Ratanda SAPS CSC: 016 343 7014
Detective Commander: 079 692 4853
The community remains in shock as friends and family mourn the loss of a young life with a bright future ahead.
