St Stithians Water Polo Team Honours Cameron Waldeck-Cooks on Memorial Service Day

• Cameron Waldeck-Cooks was remembered by her St Stithians water polo teammates in a touching gesture on the day of her memorial service
• The St Stithians water polo team could not attend Cameron Waldeck-Cooks’ memorial service, but found another way to honour her
• Cameron’s St Stithians teammates were competing when her memorial service took place, but they made sure she was remembered

The St Stithians water polo team found a touching way to honour Cameron Waldeck-Cooks on Sunday, 13 September 2026, the same day as her memorial service.

The team was competing on the final day of the St Alban’s Beach Polo tournament and could not attend the private memorial service. Instead, the players made sure Cameron was remembered while they were at the pool.

The team said its players stood together wearing black armbands bearing “CAM.” The gesture was particularly significant because Cameron, a Grade 11 pupil at St Stithians Girls’ College, was also a water polo player.

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Cameron Waldeck-Cooks remembered by teammates

In a message shared on the team’s social media accounts, the players explained why they dedicated the day to their teammate.

“This past Sunday, September 13, coincided with the memorial service for our beloved Saints Girls College Gr 11 student, Cameron Waldeck-Cooks,” the team said.

“Unable to attend the service while competing on the final day of the St Alban’s Beach Polo tournament, our boys made sure Cameron was with them in spirit.”

The players then stood united by the pool wearing black armbands, with “CAM” written on them as a tribute to Cameron.

The team added:

“Their heartfelt message to Cameron and her loved one was: ‘We wish we could have been there today. You will always be in our thoughts’.”

The tribute was particularly significant because Cameron was also a water polo player and had been part of the St Stithians sporting community.

Cameron’s death has remained the subject of a police investigation since her body was found alongside that of 19-year-old St Stithians alumnus Ethan Coetzee at a lodge near Sabie, Mpumalanga, on 3 August 2026.

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Police initially opened an inquest. Following post-mortem findings, a murder investigation was added. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said preliminary findings suggested Cameron may have been strangled, while Ethan may have died by suicide.

Investigation continues after memorial service

Cameron’s family previously remembered her as “kind-hearted, warm and determined”, highlighting what they called her “quiet strength” and her care for the people around her.

While authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the two deaths, Cameron’s teammates marked her memory in their own way.

As they competed on 13 September, the St Stithians water polo players paid tribute to a fellow member of their sporting community. Although they were unable to attend her memorial service, their gesture allowed them to honour Cameron and keep her memory close on an important day.

Police investigation into Cameron Waldeck-Cooks’ death continues

Briefly News also reported that the police had made no arrests in connection with the deaths of Cameron Waldeck-Cooks and Ethan Coetzee at a lodge near Sabie, Mpumalanga.

Mpumalanga police confirmed that both an inquest and a murder investigation were underway. The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation, with public allegations about what happened yet to be established through the formal police process.

Source: Briefly News