Heartbreak as body of missing man identified
THE charred human remains found with a bullet wound in the head in Strandfontein about five months ago is that of Ashley Oosterwyk, who was reported missing by his family a year ago.
Ashley went missing in February last year from the Grassy Park home he shared with his mother.
His father, Trevor Oosterwyk, an anti-apartheid activist in the 1980s, who had been detained by the then government, and is now a Stats SA spokesperson, said the DNA test results confirmed that the remains were that of his son.
Trevor told the Cape Times he and the rest of his family were trying to make sense of what could have led to the death of his eldest child.
They were hoping that the police would find the killers and bring them to justice.
Ashley will be buried under Muslim rights at the weekend, although final arrangements have not yet been finalised.
“This boy would have been thirty, he was not young any more, (but) a grown man,” said Trevor.
Without connecting his disappearance to any gang-related activities, Trevor mentioned that Ashley was involved in drugs and had been in and out of prison.
“A week before his birthday, he disappeared. His mother filed a missing person’s report.
“About six months later, in August, police alerted the family of a burnt body found between Strandfontein and Tafelsig. This year we were informed that burnt-out body was that of Ashley,” said Trevor.
He said for almost a year the family did not know whether Ashley was still alive or dead, “but now we know (even though) the news is not good”.
“It’s always hard to lose a family member, especially under these circumstances,” he said.
Asked whether they know what might have happened to him, Trevor said: “No we don’t. All we know is that the body was burnt out and it had a bullet wound in the head.
“He was a victim of drugs. He struggled with drugs.
“There are hundreds of young men on the Cape Flats who are victims of crime and drugs.”
Social media was abuzz with messages of support for the family.
“May you find solace now knowing that he is Resting In Peace and probably held in love by his namesake who also experienced an uncalled for violent death.
“May my big hug somehow lessen your pain a little bit,” Ghairo Daniels posted on Facebook.
Hundreds of young men on Cape Flats are victims of crime and drugs