After five months of unanswered questions, Raymond du Plessis has finally been found, having gone missing on 5 May 2025. The 32-year-old Newcastle resident was discovered in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and preparations are now underway to facilitate his return home.
The extensive search for Raymond concluded on Wednesday, 3 September 2025, when the Royal Eswatini Police Service issued a social media appeal for urgent assistance in locating his family after they found him in their country.
At the time, they sought help from the public, as the only information Raymond could provide was his age, his address in Newcastle, and his parents’ names. The police also noted that Raymond had informed them he had travelled to Eswatini to visit family, but he was unable to identify them or provide their names.
Following the Eswatini Police’s efforts, which included liaising with local authorities, plans are now in motion to bring him back to South Africa. According to Belinda Ellor of the Newcastle Community Policing Forum (CPF) and a member of Ground Z3ro Search and Rescue,
It is reported that Raymond has dementia.
Ellor also noted that Ground Z3ro Search and Rescue, SBA Protect, and the Newcastle CPF were taking steps to facilitate his safe repatriation. She elaborated, stating, “The Eswatini Police got into contact with myself and Ground Z3ro, and the steps that we have taken so far is being in contact with the relevant officials, contacting Home Affairs, because he does not have a passport or any identification on him, so he is there illegally. Eswatini will now be deporting him.”
Once he is safely back on South African soil, Ellor emphasised that he will be temporarily detained at the border while necessary arrangements are made to secure documents confirming his South African nationality, which will then enable his parents to bring him home.
The relief following Raymond’s discovery is significant, bringing an end to the five-month ordeal that left his family in suspense.
While the circumstances of his disappearance and subsequent presence in Eswatini remain a puzzle, the collaboration between officials from both nations has ensured that the search has concluded not in tragedy, but in a reunion.
As steps are now taken to secure his documents and bring him home, this outcome underscores a shared commitment to his safe return, providing a sense of closure and hope for everyone involved.
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