Cape Town - The body of a man has been recovered from the Keyser River in Steenberg five days after he drowned at a vlei in Retreat.
Reagan Fredericks, 30, was trying to escape an attack by employees of a building material store in the area when he drowned.
A rescue service team together with the SAPS were visible at Keyser Vlei yesterday as the search for Fredericks continued.
His friends said he was attacked while collecting scrap from a scrapyard behind the Indibatu building material store.
A friend, Wesley Powell, said he received a call at about 9am on Wednesday telling him to rush to the scene as Fredericks had been seen drowning after failed attempts to swim.
“Witnesses saw him being attacked by the employees of the Indibatu store who were allegedly throwing stones at him, even though he was in the water.
“The last thing witnesses saw was his hands, perhaps signalling for help as he was drowning. We began searching for him that morning, three volunteers dived in looking for him but they could not find him.”
Another friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said the place where the attack had happened was known by many to have material that one can collect for scrap.
Calling the number at the gate of the store, a person who refused to give his name said: “I am aware of the incident, but I can’t say what happened as I was not present when it happened.”
Captain AC Gildenhuys from Kirstenhof police said: “It is alleged that two coloured men were seen taking items that belonged to the building material store before they were attacked by its employees, leading to the drowning.”
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za