Community helps recover body of missing 11-year-old from Free State river

The body of an 11-year-old boy who was reported missing after allegedly drowning in the Kgotptjane River has been recovered with the assistance of community members.

The child, identified as Letlogang Reitumetse Mokakuoa, was reported missing on 19 September 2026 after his friends allegedly witnessed him drowning in the river.

Police in Phuthaditjhaba, together with the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality Rescue and Divers Team, launched a search operation to locate and recover the child.

The search was hampered by adverse weather conditions, with several attempts made by the police and rescue teams to find the body. Various resources were deployed, including a police helicopter to scan the surrounding area.

On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, community members noticed what appeared to be a human body trapped around a tree inside the river. They immediately alerted the police, who responded to the scene.

Police and members of the rescue team subsequently retrieved the body from the river.

The deceased was positively identified by his uncle as Letlogang Reitumetse Mokakuoa, aged 11.

The recovery has brought closure to the boy’s family, who had been anxiously awaiting news of their loved one since his disappearance.

An inquest docket has been opened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.

The police have thanked the community members who alerted them after spotting the body, which assisted in bringing the search to an end.