Uncertainty surrounds the death of a 24-year-old man feared to have drowned off a beach near East London on Christmas Day while swimming with his employer’s family.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana confirmed on Sunday that the search for Mihle Mbayo’s body was continuing, 10 days after his disappearance.
Mbayo’s family is demanding answers after he was reported to have drowned at Glen Eden Beach in Glengariff.
Mbayo, who is from Jojweni, between Ngqushwa and the Buffalo City Metro, reportedly attempted to swim in heavy currents.
According to a police report, the incident occurred on Christmas Day. Mbayo and a “family member” were swimming when they encountered difficulty in the water.
“While one swimmer managed to reach shore, the second did not,” Gantana said.
A multi-agency search and rescue operation including the police K9 Search and Rescue Unit, Water Policing and Diving Services and a police mounted unit were immediately deployed to search for him
The police searchers worked with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 7 and Eastern Cape EMS, with aerial support provided by the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter and a private aircraft.
Gantana said an extensive air, sea and shoreline search from Glen Eden to Gonubie had not located Mbayo by Sunday.
“The search effort is continuing and remains a priority,” she said.
When we received a call to attend the scene on Christmas, we did not understand how a person could swim in that zone because it is for fishing.
— Luthando Mbayo
However, Mbayo’s brother, Luthando, said the family was not satisfied with the “conflicting statements” issued after the incident and called on the police to conduct a full investigation.
He pleaded with rescue teams to find his brother’s body so a postmortem examination could be conducted.
He said the family were devastated by Mbayo’s disappearance.
“We were shocked to hear about this, especially on Christmas Day, because we were hoping to spend it with him.”
According to the family, Mbayo had spent some time in Gauteng and returned to the Eastern Cape in late 2025.
After his return, Mbayo started working for his father’s previous employers who are said to own a farm in East London.
“We grew up in their homestead because our father worked there for many years and he [Mbayo] told us that he would be working and staying with them.
“When we received a call to attend the scene on Christmas, we did not understand how a person could swim in that zone because it is for fishing.
“We received conflicting statements of what happened but they said he was swimming with two other boys and suddenly they heard him calling for help.
“When we arrived on the scene we couldn’t speak to the other boys who were swimming with him because they were taken away by the mother, who said they were traumatised,” Luthando said.
“We have written to many people to assist us with this case so that it receives the police’s highest attention.
“We would like a full investigation because of the inconsistent statements.
“We have really been left shattered because he was truly loved. His personality made it fun to be around him and he was an easygoing person.
“He wanted a proper job to fix some of the mistakes he’s made in his life, like any other young person.”
The Christmas Day tragedy has been the only drowning reported so far on East London beaches over the holiday period.
Police appealed to anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact the Gonubie SAPS or call Crime Stop on 08600-10111.
Daily Dispatch
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