GQEBERHA – Questions continue to mount following the tragic discovery of a Nelson Mandela University student whose body was recovered from North End Lake in Sydenham earlier this week.
The deceased, identified as 19-year-old Lathitha Mhlathi, was a first-year Economics student who had been reported missing after he was last seen on Saturday, 28 March. According to reports, he was on his way to Pier 14 at the time of his disappearance.
His body was discovered on Tuesday, 31 March at approximately 11:45 by a local fisherman near Milner Avenue. The South African Police Service (SAPS) Divers Unit was called to the scene and assisted in retrieving the body from the water.
Police have since confirmed that the preliminary cause of death is drowning. However, the circumstances leading up to the incident remain unclear and are now the subject of an ongoing investigation.
Mhlathi had been residing at Smada Student Accommodation in North End. At the time he went missing, he was wearing a red hoodie, jeans, and black Omega shoes.
Authorities are urging members of the public who may have seen him on the day of his disappearance or who have any information that could assist in piecing together his final movements to come forward.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Mount Road SAPS on 082 779 7186 or call Crime Stop at 08600 10111. Police have assured that all information will be handled with strict confidentiality.
As investigations continue, the focus now remains on establishing exactly what happened in the hours leading up to Mhlathi’s death.
No tags for this post.
