Body recovered from Vaal River confirmed as missing Vanderbijlpark teen

The body of a male found in the Vaal River by police has been positively identified as that of Thomas Sithole, a Hoërskool Driehoek pupil who went missing on Friday.

Family members identified the body as that of the 17-year-old after South African Police Service (SAPS) Search and Rescue members retrieved it from the Vaal River earlier on Monday.

Sithole was reported missing on Friday after he allegedly went on a boat cruise with friends.

Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo confirmed: "The body of a male that was found by the police at Vaal River on Monday, 12 January 2026 has been identified by a family member as that of Thomas Sithole, who was reported missing at Vanderbijlpark police station."

The case has since been taken over by police in Sasolburg, Free State, for further investigation.