A four-day search for a man who apparently drowned in a canal in Kuils River has yielded no results.
Hartseer family and friends of Theodore Salvester, 29, gathered at the scene at the footbridge close to Ongegund Street yesterday where they held a prayer service as Law Enforcement officers and the K9 Unit continued their search for his body in the reeds.
Community activist, Apostle Adrian Meyer, says Theodore fell into the canal on Thursday morning.
The kerkbroer says: “Theodore is from Kalkfontein and he collects scrap. On Thursday morning he went to collect scrap in Kuils River along with his friend Gert.
“Gert explained that while walking with Theodore he picked up an old rusty rim outside someone’s yard but as they walked near the canal two men approached them accusing him of stealing it.
“Gert said as they attacked him, Theodore ran away along the canal and slipped and fell into it.”
Meyer says due to the heavy rainfall the canal had overflowed and Theodore was swept away by the current.
He says: “On day one the SAPS divers arrived and after a short while they said it was too dangerous to be in the water and got out.
“Not long after that his jacket and slipper was seen floating on the water and we believe they could have still found him at that point.
“We complained to JP Smith who told us it was a SAPs matter to manage but he still sent us resources which included drones and the SAPS divers came back.”
On Saturday the City’s Fire and Rescue teams were on the scene along with Saps divers while a police helicopter was seen scouting the area.
Meyer says: “As things stand there has been no developments but we remain hopeful.”
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk confirms that the disappearance is being investigated by Kuils River police.
Van Wyk reports: “According to reports, on Thursday at 11.32am a Kuils River patrol vehicle received a complaint from radio control of a possible drowning at the canal footbridge close to Ongegund Street.
“On arrival the members were informed by the community that an unknown male slipped and fell in the canal and was swept away by the stream direction of Betel School.
“SAPS divers attended the scene and was deployed into the canal but they could not find any body and had to withdraw from the scene due to the water level being too high and the stream being too strong.
“An eyewitness statement was obtained and an enquiry has been registered as well as a missing person’s report.”