Missing Former SA World High Jump Champion Jacques Freitag Found Dead, Masses in Disbelief: “RIP”
- A body believed to be that of former SA world high jump champion Jacques Freitag was discovered in a veld in Tshwane on Monday
- Freitag went missing a few weeks ago after he and a man reportedly driving a bakkie picked him up and the two left together
- Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili told Briefly News that Freitag's family had not yet identified his body
- The news of the former athlete's apparent demise has subsequently been circulating online, with police yet to make any arrests
Source: Getty Images
TSHWANE — Police have discovered a body believed to be that of former South African world high jump champion Jacques Freitag, who went missing in Tshwane a few weeks ago.
According to reports, Freitag, 42, had been missing for less than a month before the discovery in bushes.
Freitag found shot dead in bushes
According to a Netwerk24 report, someone resembling Freitag was reportedly discovered dead, with multiple gunshot wounds, in a veld in Tshwane West on Monday afternoon.
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Briefly News understands that on the day he went missing, another man had picked him up in the middle of the night at his mother's Bronkhorstspruit home.
He was never seen alive again.
In a Rapport report, Freitag had struggled with substance abuse, among other things, having fallen on hard times after retiring from athletics.
His sister, Chrissie Lewis, described how her relationship with the former athlete had become complicated before the disappearance.
“We weren’t close at all over the last few years because of the drugs,” the Afrikaans newspaper quoted Lewis.
Tshwane police investigating murder
Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed to Briefly News that police had since changed the missing person's case in Hercules to murder.
"This follows the discovery of the body of the missing person near the Zandfontein cemetery in Andeon, in the Hercules policing precinct, on Monday afternoon," Muridili said.
"The police Search and Rescue Team made the discovery, having conducted a search for the missing person [for several weeks]. The team included members from the Air Wing with a police chopper, the Water Wing, and the local police."
Muridili said the family of the deceased has not yet identified the body. No arrests have yet been made, while the police are following up on leads.
South Africans shocked by news of discovery.
Netizens were shocked by the news that someone resembling Freitag had been discovered, and they took to the timeline to express their condolences.
Briefly News camped in the comments and looks at some reactions.
@SportIconObit wrote:
"#RIP Jacques Freitag (42). High jumper, who was 2003 world champion, having won in Paris with a height of 2.35m. Also, won world youth title in 1999 and world junior title in 2000."
@noentrysoldier's
"He was 6'8" and found murdered today. RIP Jacques Freitag."
@Clinton added:
"Awful to hear of the death by shooting of Jacques Freitag, former world high jump champion. His life had veered badly off the rails, but there was always the hope he'd make it. RIP."
Missing SANDF soldier's family prepared for worst
In related news, Briefly News recently reported the family of a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier who went missing a month ago in the Northern Cape is pleading for his return — whether dead or alive.
Luntu Basil Hatta, 53, reportedly went missing on Thursday, 30 May, at the Lohatla SANDF base near Postmasburg.
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Source: Briefly News
