The family of Abongwe Gamede, who went missing since July 27 and discovered dead in a Germiston river by a herdsman on August 19, is demanding answers into the mysterious circumstances surrounding their son's death.
The 26-year-old was travelling from his father’s home in De Deur to his mother’s residence in Boksburg using public transport when he vanished without a trace.
Abongwe last communicated with his mother on the evening of July 26, informing her that he was just five minutes away from her home in Groeneweide, east of Johannesburg.
Unfortunately, he never showed up, leading to a large and ongoing search by the Gamede family.
Despite their tireless search for Abongwe, the family was informed by the police on Monday, August 19, that their son had been found dead in Germiston, casting a deep pall over the family.
Family spokesperson and Abongwe’s uncle, Thulani Gamede, said the 26-year-old's body was found in a river by a horse herdsman.
“The police and Germiston forensic pathologists informed us they had found a body matching the description we gave them, in the river. We went on August 19 to verify and confirm it was our son.”
Gamede said they confirmed the body was their son’s.
The police then indicated they would switch the case from a missing person to a murder investigation, as they believe he was murdered.
"We are deeply shattered by the discovery of his lifeless body in the river. The pain is beyond words, and everyone at home is devastated."
He said the police were called to the river, where they were informed by the herdsman that he had seen an arm sticking out of the water from afar.
“The police said that a man herding horses to the river for water was surprised to see an arm sticking out from the river. As he approached to investigate, he found that it was a dead body.”
Gamede said that the body was taken to the forensic pathology offices in the area.
He was concerned that despite searching the area numerous times, they were unable to find him.
“We went to Germiston over three times in our search for him and even checked with the forensic pathologist, but we could not find him. To our surprise, the police eventually located him.”
He described Abongwe as a very sweet, loving, clever, and intelligent boy who had a deep affection for his family.
“Everyone misses him deeply. He had a warm heart and had a knack for bringing family and friends together. Even now, though he is not here, we are united in the way he always wished for and loved.”
Gamede has said that the discovery of their son’s body in the river has been traumatic and will be hard to overcome. The have demanded justice for his death.
“This situation is incredibly confusing and leaves us with many unanswered questions, which is why we are seeking justice. We need to know what happened to him, as we believe there are perpetrators involved based on our understanding of the matter,” he said.
In addition, he said that they will only find peace if the culprits are brought to justice.
Gamede also said that Abongwe will be laid to rest on Wednesday, August 28.
IOL