Body recovered from Vaal River identified as missing teenager

Zuko Komisa

The body of 17-year-old Hoërskool Driehoek pupil Thomas Sithole was recovered from the Vaal River on Monday following his disappearance during a boat cruise on Friday.
Family members have positively identified the teenager after SAPS Search and Rescue teams retrieved the body near Vanderbijlpark.
The investigation has been transferred to Sasolburg police in the Free State to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

South African authorities have confirmed that the body recovered from the Vaal River on Monday morning is that of 17-year-old Thomas Sithole. The Hoërskool Driehoek pupil had been the subject of a missing person’s search since Friday.

The discovery was made by members of the SAPS Search and Rescue unit. Following the recovery, distraught family members positively identified the teenager. Sithole was last seen on Friday afternoon, having reportedly joined a group of friends for a boat cruise before disappearing.

Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo confirmed the identification, stating:

“The body of a male found by police at the Vaal River on Monday, 12 January 2026, has been identified by a family member as that of Thomas Sithole, who was previously reported missing at the Vanderbijlpark police station.”

While the search originated in Gauteng, the investigation has now been transferred to the police in Sasolburg, Free State, for further enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death.