Rikus Kylander: Family of Missing Krugersdorp Teen Renews Appeal 9 Months On

• Missing Person South Africa renewed the appeal for Rikus Kylander, 18, from Krugersdorp, who vanished while snorkelling in Mozambique in December 2025
• Rikus disappeared during a matric holiday trip to Ponta do Ouro, and his family called off a 22-day search after exhausting every option
• South Africans online have been moved by the family's ongoing ordeal, with many pleading for anyone with information to come forward

Rikus Kylander's family is still searching for answers. The 18-year-old from Krugersdorp, Gauteng, vanished while snorkelling at Ponta do Ouro, a coastal town in Mozambique, on 18 December 2025, and nearly nine months later, his case remains unsolved.

On 8 September 2026, Missing Person South Africa renewed the appeal for public information, asking whether anyone who was in Ponta do Ouro around that time had seen or heard anything that could help bring closure to the family.

A matric holiday that ended in tragedy

Read also

Riemvasmaak residents find bones and bloodstained dress hours after prayer for missing girl

Rikus, a pupil at Noordheuwel High School, had travelled to the Mozambican coastal town with a group of roughly 12 friends to celebrate the end of their school years. The group arrived just two days before the incident. He entered the sea at around 1 pm and never resurfaced.

His parents, Anzél and Donovan, made their way to Mozambique immediately after being alerted, and his older sister Clarise joined them. The family stayed in the country for 22 days, searching tirelessly before making the devastating decision to stop.

Clarise credited the outpouring of public support for carrying them through the ordeal, saying the prayers, messages and acts of kindness meant more than words could express. The family asked for time and space to grieve together, while local community members and volunteers in Mozambique agreed to remain watchful. A KwaZulu-Natal national park also committed to staying vigilant.

Anyone with information about Rikus Kylander's disappearance is urged to contact Missing Person South Africa through their Facebook page.

View the Facebook appeal below:

Family members ask the public to be respectful

As the renewed appeal circulated online, a family member, Kevin Kylander, spoke directly to those leaving comments.

Read also

"What's wrong with humanity?": SA reacts to true crime creator's breakdown of Boksburg couple murder

"I am pleading to all people who are commenting on the post, good or bad: please respect our family. It is still very painful for them. Let them deal with this terrible situation in their own way. Thanks so much," he wrote.

South Africans responding to the Missing Person South Africa page expressed grief, disbelief, and hope for answers:

@Gerty Bester said:

"I was wondering if there was any news from Rikus. This is such a tragic event for me. I pray you get clarity on what happened to him. It's bad to lose a child and not know what happened to him. We are praying for a word."

@Sureta von Holtzhausen shared:

"I don't know you, but this particular case breaks my heart! We are praying for you for answers and reassurance." (Translated from Afrikaans)

@Angelique Chambers Potgieter said:

"Someone knows something."

@Annelie Stoltz added:

"Still incredibly sad. Still thinking a lot about his loved ones who have to struggle like this without any explanation." (Translated from Afrikaans)

More Briefly News stories on missing people

• A young Indian woman broke down while mourning her parents, who went missing during devastating floods in Nepal, drawing widespread support online.
• Missing Durban helicopter pilot Slade Thomas was found safe after disappearing from his Umgeni Park home, ending a search that included a R50,000 reward.
• A joyful video of a missing Durban woman resurfaced after she travelled to Nepal for an Asian pilgrimage shortly before devastating flash floods struck.

Source: Briefly News