Family of Teen Who Drowned in Vaal River Still Seeking Answers Eight Months Later
- Thomas Sithole, a 17-year-old Hoërskool Driehoek prefect, went missing during a private boat trip on the Vaal River in January 2026
- His family raised serious concerns about the delay in being notified and inconsistencies in witness accounts from those on board
- Alice and Steve Sithole appeared at the Sasolburg Magistrate's Court as the drowning inquest was postponed to October 29
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Source: Instagram
Alice and Steve Sithole are still fighting for answers. Eight months after their teenage son Thomas drowned in the Vaal River, the Gauteng family remains without a clear picture of what happened on the night he disappeared.
Thomas Junior Sithole, a 17-year-old prefect at Hoërskool Driehoek, went missing on the evening of 9 January 2026. He was on a small private boat with a group of friends, all minors, and a licensed adult skipper who was the father of one of the boys. According to accounts from that night, Thomas made his way to the back of the vessel to retrieve a cool drink while the group was heading back from a resort. When the others looked around, he was gone.
As reported on Briefly News, South African Police Service Search and Rescue divers recovered his body three days later, on 12 January 2026. He was laid to rest in Sharpeville on 24 January 2026.
Family questions the circumstances
From the beginning, the Sithole family was not satisfied with how events unfolded. They say they were only told their son was missing at 10:00 PM on the night of the incident, a delay they described as deeply troubling. They also raised doubts about whether someone could fall from such a small vessel without anyone noticing, and pointed to what they viewed as inconsistencies in the accounts given by witnesses who were on board.
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Their dissatisfaction with the initial handling of the case led to it being transferred from the Vanderbijlpark Police Station to the Sasolburg SAPS in the Free State. A formal drowning inquest was subsequently opened to establish the full facts surrounding his death.
An autopsy completed in February 2026 ruled out foul play. However, the family said the findings did not resolve their deeper questions about the precise circumstances of Thomas's death.
Court inquest postponed to October
Alice and Steve Sithole appeared at the Sasolburg Magistrate's Court on 29 September 2026, hoping for movement in the case. The magistrate postponed the inquest hearing to 29 October 2026, giving the family time to secure legal representation to assist in presenting evidence during the formal inquiry.
The upcoming proceeding will review all available facts and witness testimony to give the Sitholes the comprehensive account they have been seeking since January.
Had Thomas survived, October would have marked a milestone-filled month. He would have been sitting his final matric examinations, preparing for his matric farewell, and celebrating his 18th birthday on 7 October. Instead, his parents continue to pursue answers through the courts, determined to understand exactly how they lost their son.
Source: Instagram
More on Thomas Sithole
- Briefly News recently reported on a video that resurfaced as a tribute to the teen and the friend who shared it.
- A throwback video of Thomas from happier days left South Africans heartbroken.
- A special song dedicated to Thomas after the Vaal River tragedy had South Africans in tears.
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Source: Briefly News
