Slade van der Walt, a 22-year-old former Western Province and South African weightlifting champion from Belhar, disappeared at Strand Beach on 2 September 2026 while attempting to rescue someone in distress in the water. Despite nearly three weeks of continuous searching, police and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) report no new leads in the case.
Van der Walt had entered the surf after swimmers got into trouble at Strand Beach. Emergency services later recovered the body of an unidentified 39-year-old man from Mfuleni near the Lourens River mouth on 3 September. While that victim awaits formal identification, police opened an inquest docket into the incident that also left Van der Walt missing.
The search for Van der Walt has since extended along the Western Cape coastline, with family members, volunteers, and local community groups combing areas from Strand to Macassar, Gordon’s Bay, Simon’s Town, Strandfontein, and Hout Bay. The family has called for assistance from the public, requesting boats, divers, drones, sonar devices, and other specialist equipment to widen the search offshore.
Caitlyn Hoedemaker, representing the family’s search efforts, said at a media briefing, “We need resources to give us the ability to go out to sea and look. Any help from the public and contacts to assist us would be appreciated. We are not asking people to put themselves in danger or conduct unauthorised searches. We are asking for qualified people and organisations with the equipment and expertise to help extend the search.”
Van der Walt’s partner, Jordan-Lee Isaacs, who is also the mother of his baby daughter, has made a heartfelt public appeal. Speaking to reporters, she shared the emotional toll the disappearance has taken on her and their family.
“I am so tired of walking on the beach, of seeing the same things. You can’t see past a certain point in the water and it’s frustrating,” Isaacs said. “It’s almost three weeks now and I don’t know what to do with my life. I can’t function as a human.”
Isaacs also revealed that the couple had plans to move abroad, a detail not yet independently verified, underscoring how their future was shattered by the disappearance. Family members expressed their resolve to keep searching, stating, “We are not giving up on Slade. We are searching. We are praying. We are bringing him home.”
The continued efforts involve multi-agency coordination, with police and NSRI maintaining active yet cautious operations along the coastline amid challenging surf conditions. The ongoing tragedy highlights the dangers of the Western Cape’s waters, even for experienced athletes like Van der Walt.
At this stage, the cause of Van der Walt’s disappearance remains unknown, and the search continues without significant breakthroughs. Authorities and the family urge anyone with relevant expertise or equipment to assist in the search to come forward.
Cape Flats.co.za will provide updates as the investigation and search progress.