Prayer circle for missing fisherman
Was Hout Bay dad-to-be shot first or drowned?
THE FATHER of missing Hout Bay fisherman Durick van Blerk said police had still not been to see the family to tell them what happened on the night his son disappeared. It is alleged that police fired on Van Blerk and two other fisherman while they were poaching crayfish between Friday night and Saturday morning. The two were arrested, but Van Blerk apparently fell overboard, and the search for him continues.
Edward van Blerk said his son’s girlfriend, who is expecting their child any day, became worried when he did not return on Saturday. He said they reported him missing at the Hout Bay police station on Sunday morning.
“Hout Bay police did not even know about the incident. Only later did it become apparent that the incident between police and the fishermen was the one involving my son.”
Van Blerk said he was not certain if his son drowned after being shot, or jumped overboard out of fear and then drowned.
“My son could swim. They normally have life jackets, but I can’t say if they were wearing them at the time.”
He said the two men arrested had been out on bail, but had not been to the family to inform them of what happened.
He said his son, 25, was the youngest of three children, and because of the unemployment in the area, had no choice but to catch crayfish the way they did.
Meanwhile, the search for Van Blerk continued yesterday, with family and community members helping and forming a prayer circle at the harbour.
The SAPS launched a search and rescue operation around 10am yesterday, with reports suggesting the search was called off around 3pm.
Yesterday afternoon, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries issued a statement, confirming the damage from the weekend.
“The protests resulted in damage to state properties, coastal offices of the department being set alight and the lives of the officials on site being seriously threatened,” it stated.
“The department wishes to place it on record that neither its vessels nor personnel were involved in the anti-poaching operation on Friday, August 9.”
Explaining Sunday’s violence, Hout Bay community activist Roscoe Jacobs said: “It is alleged that Durick went to fish/ poach on Saturday morning and they were apprehended at sea by the police. He was allegedly shot and fell overboard.”
The family have urged the community to stop the violence and co-operate with the SAPS’s ongoing investigation.
Jacobs added: “The family thanked the community for their support but believe the violent approach and burning of factories is not good for the community. People are dependent on these places for work.”
No key findings were discovered during yesterday’s search, and it was suggested that no formal agreement had been reached with the SAPS yesterday to continue the search today.