After seven long and painful months filled with anxiety and unanswered questions, the search for Newcastle’s Afzal Khader has come to a heartbreaking and tragic conclusion.
Khader disappeared from his home on Asparagus Avenue in Fernwood on 4 March 2024.
His disappearance left law enforcement and Renegades Search and Rescue appealing to the public for help in locating the 28-year-old. This saw the Newcastle community showing incredible support, rallying behind the search efforts. This led the Newcastle Community Policing Forum (CPF) to organise a large-scale search on 1 April 2024, desperate to find Afzal.
As reported by Newcastillian News, the Newcastle CPF, in collaboration with the Newcastle SAPS Search and Rescue Unit and concerned residents met on Boundary Road, Lennoxton, and conducted an extensive search throughout the town. The search took them across various parts of Newcastle before leading them back to Asparagus Avenue, where they scoured the banks of the Ncandu River, which runs alongside the street. At the time, a body was discovered in the river, mere metres away from where Afzal lived, but it could not be confirmed if it was Afzal or another individual who had tragically died.
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On Tuesday, 22 October 2024, Newcastle SAPS Colonel Flip Claassen delivered the devastating confirmation. The results from the post-mortem on the body found in April 2024 confirmed that it was indeed Afzal Khader. This tragic discovery marked the conclusion of an agonising search, but the path to this outcome was fraught with difficulties.
Colonel Claassen, speaking to Newcastillian News, recounted the emotionally charged process that led to this sorrowful conclusion. “A case was opened after Afzal Khader went missing on 4 March 2024, and a body was later found in the Ncandu River by the Newcastle SAPS Search and Rescue Unit. The remains were transported to the mortuary, where a post-mortem was conducted,” he began.
The post-mortem, Colonel Claassen explained, was necessary due to the advanced state of decomposition of the body, which made it impossible to visually determine whether the deceased was male or female. Furthermore, the clothing on the body did not match what Afzal was reportedly wearing on the day he went missing, adding another layer of complexity to the investigation.
Determined to bring closure to Afzal’s grieving family, Colonel Claassen took a leading role in the investigation, working closely with his team of detectives. To ensure there would be no lingering doubts, two separate post-mortems were conducted. “Once we were able to confirm the body was male, DNA samples were taken from the remains. I then personally travelled to Glencoe to collect a DNA sample from Afzal’s mother. The samples were then sent off for testing, and the results confirmed that the body was indeed Afzal Khader,” Colonel Claassen explained.
With this confirmation, Colonel Claassen faced the painful task of informing Afzal’s family. The weight of the news was immense, and breaking it to the family was no easy feat.
With the search for Afzal now over, his mother, Janet Khader, spoke of the overwhelming gratitude she feels for the efforts of Colonel Claassen, Detective Captain Shabir Ismail, and Belinda Ellor of the Newcastle CPF. “They really went above and beyond. Colonel Claassen came to me personally for the DNA sample and was there to offer moral support even during the funeral process for my son. Their dedication, especially Colonel Claassen, means the world to me,” she said.
Furthermore, Ms Khader shared how the long months of waiting had taken an emotional toll on her. She revealed that a previous officer had advised her not to worry about the body found in the river, as they had initially believed it to be a woman. “If I had listened to him and not asked for more tests, I would still be living with unanswered questions, wondering where my son was and fearing he might still be in danger,” she said. She credits Colonel Claassen, Captain Ismail, and Belinda Ellor for their relentless pursuit of the truth and for giving her the answers she so desperately needed, even if those answers brought devastating news.
Afzal Khader was laid to rest this past week, bringing a heart-wrenching closure to his family’s ordeal. Reflecting on the experience, Ms Khader expressed how deeply the entire situation has affected her. “I try to stay busy, but whenever I’m alone, I see my son’s face,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion.
As this tragic chapter closes, Newcastillian News extends its deepest condolences to the Khader family and all those who knew and loved Afzal.
What are your thoughts on the above? Share your views and condolences in the comment section below.
Comments 3
I cannot understand why his mother says she feels the way she does, Afzal, my cousin lived with his grandparents from a baby. Maybe they share the same DNA but his mother was not a part of his life. He lost his grandmother earlier this year and he will be missed most by his granddad and uncle who he lived with.
My sincere condolences to the family and friends of the kader so very tragic
Wondering what happens from here? Will this now be a murder investigation. How did he end up there? What happened prior? So many unanswered questions.