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Still no closure for the family of missing Sodwana Bay skipper, two months after he went missing
7:00 CAT | 21 May 2024
Missing skipper John 'Matambu' Dercksen from Sodwana Bay in KwaZulu-Natal is still missing without a trace more than two months after his burnt boat was found wrecked in Mozambique. Picture: Supplied.
Just more than two months after skipper John “Matambu” Dercksen from Sodwana Bay in KwaZulu-Natal went missing with his burnt charter boat discovered wrecked on a beach in Mozambique, his family say they still do not know what happened to him.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda told “The Mercury” on Friday that the matter is under investigation.
Matambu, 68, failed to return home after taking a passenger out to sea on March 16. His burnt charter fishing ski-boat, Magnum Too, was discovered wrecked in the vicinity of Dobela on the Mozambique coastline the next day.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed on March 27 that Matambu’s passenger was found and arrested in Mozambique for violating their immigration laws.
He was then deported to South Africa.
According to friends and family, the passenger appeared in court at the beginning of April and will this week be appearing again. It has not yet been confirmed what he has been charged with.
Matambu’s family have tirelessly helped in the search for him and to help them understand what happened as well as the search for his passenger.
Matambu’s sister Cherie Eilertsen told “The Mercury” that Thursday, May 16, marked two months since her brother went missing.
She said this emotional anniversary was very traumatic for the entire family.
Eilertsen said they get changing stories from the passenger and nothing adds up.
“There’s nothing credible in what he is telling the family and we’re just not getting the truth at all. So there’s a huge amount of frustration and heartache with the family.
“Because not only is my brother now missing for two months, but there is no closure because we don’t know how John died, she said.
Matambu’s provincial fishing team Limpopo, who he competed with in his last competition a few weeks before he went missing, won the gold medal at an awards ceremony earlier this month, she said.
“My husband and I were there for the prize giving and they called me up to receive John’s medal with John not there. Very emotional, very heartsore, but also really beautiful,” said Eilertsen.
She said the family are expecting a huge number of people, including many fishermen and locals from Sodwana Bay and Mozambique, to attend the next court appearance of Matambu’s passenger this week.
“We don’t believe that there will be a murder or a kidnapping charge because the investigation is still under way,” said Eilertsen.
According to Eilertsen, her brother has vanished without a trace a body has not washed up anywhere. “I see that people on social media are calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Police Minister Bheki Cele to get involved to help us get justice for John.”
Source: The Mercury
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