‘Marked man’? Suspect who kidnapped Sodwana captain ‘on the run’ again

Tomas Frederik ‘Ferdie’ Visser, arrested in connection with the disappearance of Sodwana Bay captain John “Matambu” Dercksen, allegedly escaped from prison while performing community service in Mpumalanga.

Dercksen’s family, who received news of Visser’s escape last week, appealed to the public to help with the search and report anyone who had seen him.

Matambu’s sister Cherie Eilertsen said: Network24 He said he received news about his alleged escape on Monday last week.

“This is extremely sad news. I feel like someone punched me in the stomach,” Eilertsen said.

‘He can’t escape for long’

Eilertsen reportedly said: “But Visser is a marked man and cannot escape for long as he has no access to money, clothing or transportation.” Zululand Observer.

“He may have crossed the Swaziland or Zimbabwe border illegally,” Eilertsen said.

What happened to Sodwana captain John ‘Matambu’ Dercksen?

The intriguing case of the mysterious disappearance of the 68-year-old KwaZulu-Natal skipper hit the headlines when Dercksen, whom locals dubbed the “Legend of the Bay of Sodwana”, went missing during a boat tour with Visser on the afternoon of Saturday, March 16.

The 21-metre Yeld Cat ski boat Magnum Too was found wrecked and burned the next morning on a beach near Ponta Dobela bay in Mozambique.

While drinking with Matambu and other captains at a local bar in Sodwana Bay on Friday night, Visser claimed that he was terminally ill and that going out to sea on a boat was his dying wish.

Visser arrested in connection with disappearance of Sodwana captain Dercksen

After a quick but intense manhunt, Visser was arrested. Spotted by a member of the public in Maputo About a week after Matambu disappeared.

He appeared in the Mbazwana Magistrates’ Court several times, but the charges against him were withdrawn on 21 May after it became clear that the extradition process to South Africa had failed.

But Visser, 45, was still in police custody for a violation of his parole conditions in connection with a separate fraud case. He was due to remain behind bars until August 2025.

Network24 It was informed of a letter sent by AfriForum’s Special Prosecution Unit, led by Barrister Gerrie Nel, to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) of the High Court’s KwaZulu-Natal Division.

The special prosecutor’s office intervened in the case On behalf of Dercksen’s family a few months ago.

‘Almost certainly a case of murder’

News24 At the beginning of October, Nel reportedly wrote to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) asking why Dercksen’s case, which he described as “almost certainly a murder case,” was still being treated as a missing persons matter.

AfriForum said it would launch a private investigation if the NPA failed to prosecute.

In the letter, AfriForum claims Visser did not return to prison following his community service assignment in Mpumalanga.

The unit requested the director provide clarification regarding the escape allegations.

According to the letter, Visser was transferred from Qalakabusha prison near Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal to a correctional services center in Mpumalanga, allegedly without the knowledge of the investigating officer.

Eilertson said the family was also not informed about Visser’s transfer.

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Penitentiary Institution examining allegations of escape from prison

Citizen For comment, the Minister of Correctional Services, Dr. He appealed to Pieter Groenewald’s spokesperson, Euné Oelofsen.

“These serious allegations have been brought to the minister’s attention,” Oeloefsen said.

“The ministry has been tasked to investigate the matter and strict action will be taken if any traces of corruption are found.”

• The latest developments come ahead of a memorial service for Dercksen scheduled for Sunday, November 10, at the Sodwana Bay Kayak Club.

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