The search for 22-year-old Slade van der Walt, a former South African and Western Province weightlifting champion from Belhar, Cape Town, is continuing after he disappeared at Strand Beach in the Western Cape on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
Van der Walt entered the water while trying to help a person who was in difficulty. He and another man were caught in the surf, and while the second man’s body was recovered the following day, there has still been no recovery of Van der Walt. Police divers were continuing search efforts on Monday, according to the National Sea Rescue Institute.
What happened to Slade van der Walt at Strand Beach?
Van der Walt disappeared at Strand Beach on Wednesday afternoon after going into the water during an attempt to assist someone who was struggling in the sea.
Reports indicate that Van der Walt and another man were caught in rip currents while trying to help a friend in difficulty.
The body of the second man, believed to be a 39-year-old from Mfuleni, was recovered from the sea on Thursday morning near the Lourens River.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon previously confirmed that police divers, assisted by NSRI and EMS personnel, recovered the body from the Helderberg Protected Marine Area. Police subsequently opened an inquest docket.
The circumstances have left Van der Walt’s family facing the painful uncertainty of not knowing where he is, while search teams continue working along the coastline.
As of Monday, 7 September, the search had not ended. Lambinon confirmed to Smile FM that police divers were continuing with ongoing search efforts.
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Where was Slade van der Walt last seen?
Van der Walt was last known to be at Strand Beach in the Western Cape when he entered the water on Wednesday afternoon.
His family appealed to friends, community members and members of the public to join a community search over the weekend.
The planned search covered Strand Beach, Macassar Beach, Hout Bay Beach and other beaches and sections of coastline along the area.
The family described the search as a collective effort and urged people to assist where they safely could.
Their message was simple: they were not prepared to give up looking for Slade.
“We are not giving up on Slade. We are searching. We are praying. We are bringing him home,” the family said in an appeal shared with the public.
The latest information available indicates that the search remains active, with police divers still involved.
There is currently no verified public information available in the latest reports giving a detailed physical description, clothing worn by Slade Van der Walt when he disappeared or a dedicated public contact number for the family. Those details should therefore not be added without confirmation.
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Who is Slade van der Walt?
Slade Van der Walt is known in South African weightlifting circles as a decorated young athlete who represented the country internationally.
He achieved significant success as a youth competitor. At the 2019 African Youth and Junior Championships, Van der Walt won three gold medals in the youth division and three silver medals in the junior division.
He was also crowned South African Youth Weightlifting Champion in 2019.
In 2021, he was named Best Youth Male at the Western Province Championships, further establishing himself as one of the promising young weightlifters from the province.
Competition records also show Slade Van der Walt representing Western Province at international level. A published competition record from 2017 lists him competing for Western Province in the 56kg category.
His sporting achievements have added another dimension to the public response following his disappearance, with local clubs, friends and members of the community sharing messages of support for his family.
The Kuils River Rugby Football Club has also expressed its support, describing Van der Walt as someone who had helped at the club on several occasions and was willing to lend a hand when needed.
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Family appeals for help as search for Slade continues
Slade Van der Walt’s partner, Jordan-Lee Isaacs, the mother of their baby daughter, has publicly expressed her heartbreak as the search continues.
Isaacs previously described Van der Walt as her love, partner and the father of their daughter. In an emotional social media post, she spoke about the difficulty of dealing with the uncertainty surrounding his disappearance while trying to remain strong for their child.
The family has continued to ask for prayers and assistance while authorities conduct their own search.
For now, the latest confirmed information is that Slade van der Walt remains missing from Strand Beach and police divers are continuing search efforts.
Anyone with verified information that could assist the authorities or the family should report it to the relevant authorities rather than relying on unverified social media claims.
Missing Person South Africa will continue to follow the case and provide further updates as confirmed information becomes available.
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