Family of Missing Weightlifter Slade van der Walt Appeals for Boats and Divers at Strand
- A week after 22-year-old SA weightlifting champion Slade van der Walt disappeared at Strand Beach, his family launched a public appeal for search equipment
- Volunteers have already searched the coastline across multiple towns, but the family says the focus must now shift further out to sea
- Family spokesperson Caitlyn Hoedemaker specified that they need qualified individuals with sonar gear, drones or helicopters to come forward
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The family of Slade van der Walt, the 22-year-old former South African and Western Province weightlifting champion who disappeared at Strand Beach a week ago, is calling on the public to provide boats, divers, drones and specialised equipment to help locate him.
Source: Facebook
Van der Walt, who is from Belhar, went missing on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, after being caught in a rip current while reportedly attempting to assist another swimmer who was in distress.
Family shifts search effort offshore
Family spokesperson Caitlyn Hoedemaker told Daily Voice that relatives and community volunteers have already covered stretches of coastline from Strand to Mnandi. He also added that the family's focus has now shifted beyond the shoreline, with access to marine resources identified as the critical next step.
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Hoedemaker made an impassionate appeal specifically directed at qualified individuals and organisations equipped with sonar technology, drones or helicopters who are in a position to assist with an offshore search.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon confirmed to Daily Voice that police divers remain part of an active operation across the broader Strand coastline.
As seen in the Facebook post below.
A champion with a decorated weightlifting record
Van der Walt carried a strong competitive pedigree before his disappearance. At the 2019 African Youth and Junior Championships, he claimed three gold medals and three silver medals. That same year, he was named South Africa's Youth Weightlifting Champion. In 2021, he received the Best Youth Male award at the Western Province Championships.
His family says the search will continue and has urged other media outlets to amplify the appeal so that those with the right resources and expertise can be reached as quickly as possible.
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Source: Briefly News
