By Levy Masiteng
The body of 16-year-old Kgomotso Raphetane has been recovered from bushes in New Eersterus, Hammanskraal, weeks after he disappeared from an initiation school.
Kgomotso was found on Saturday, 8 August 2026, after disappearing from the Bra Happy Initiation School in New Eersterus on 6 July.
His death has left his family, friends and members of the Hammanskraal community devastated after weeks of searching for answers about his whereabouts.
Kgomotso and his 14-year-old brother had travelled to the initiation school on 1 May. While his younger brother returned home on 18 July after spending more than two months at the school, Kgomotso remained missing.
At the time, Kgomotso’s mother, Pauline Raphetane, appealed for information about her son’s whereabouts.
The family questioned how Kgomotso could disappear from the initiation school without a clear explanation, saying they were particularly distressed because the two brothers had gone to the mountains together, but only one returned.
The disappearance was reported to police and a case was opened with the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit. Police previously confirmed that the investigation was ongoing and that all leads were being followed.
The discovery of Kgomotso’s body has now turned the missing-person investigation into a murder investigation.
Reports indicate that his head was discovered first before the remainder of his body was found in the surrounding bushes. The circumstances surrounding his death and the discovery of his body remain under investigation.
Kgomotso’s family laid him to rest on Saturday at New Eersterus Cemetery in Hammanskraal. Family members, friends, neighbours and community members gathered to pay their final respects to the teenager.
The tragedy has left the family searching for answers about how Kgomotso died and how he was able to disappear from the initiation school.
His death has also renewed concerns about the safety and supervision of young people attending initiation schools, particularly when a child goes missing and the circumstances surrounding the disappearance remain unclear.
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding Kgomotso’s death are continuing. No suspect has been arrested at this stage.
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