PICS: Family believes boy, 8, found dead in dam was murdered

Ruwyden Beukes, 8, was found dead in a Cape Flats dam. Picture: Supplied

Ruwyden Beukes, 8, was found dead in a Cape Flats dam. Picture: Supplied

Published Jan 22, 2018

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Cape Town - The body of an eight-year-old boy has been found floating in a Cape Flats dam - and his family believes the child was murdered after finding scratch marks all over his body.

On Friday, police divers removed the body of Ruwyden Beukes from the “Koffie Dam”, which is located on private property in Faure.

His family tells the Daily Voice they believe his killer made it look like a drowning after forcing Ruwyden into the water, probably to destroy forensic evidence.

The dam is located in bushes along Van Riebeeck Road, between Eerste River and Faure, on privately owned property known as “The Wines.”

Residents say the dam is a popular swimming spot for children.

Ruwyden’s family and the Blue Downs Community Policing Forum are now calling for the land owners to come forward in a bid to have the area closed off.

Wendell Slabbert of the Greater Blue Downs Police Cluster points to the Faure dam where Ruwyden was found. Picture: Daily Voice

They believe a sex predator is preying on young children at the dam, following the attack of a 12-year-old girl in February last year.

The child was swimming with friends in the dam when she was attacked by a man who threw bricks at her, beat her up and tried to stab her.

She managed to escape after her friend pelted the man with stones.

Ruwyden, who was in Grade 2 at Beverly Park Primary School, went missing on Thursday afternoon after joining friends at the dam.

Relatives say the little boy could not swim, and that they have warned him not to go there.

The child was found wearing only his underpants; his clothing a pink sweater, shorts and blue slippers were missing.

Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, says an inquest docket, and not a murder docket, has been opened for investigation.

“It is confirmed that the body of a child was found and an inquest case has been opened for further investigation at Kleinvlei police,” Van Wyk confirmed.

But Ruwyden’s grandmother, Martha Tarentaal, who raised him since birth with her husband Joe, suspect foul play.

“He could not swim and there were scratch marks on his body, like he was fighting back and it looks like he was thrown into the dam,” the heartbroken grandmother says.

“Last year November he was at the dam and his father warned him not to go there and gave him a hiding. On Thursday after he came from school, he went looking for me after eating and then met up with friends and they went to the dam."

“We became worried by 8pm because he was not home yet and we called the police.”

Wendell Slabbert, the public relations officer for the Greater Blue Downs Police Cluster, says a search was launched for Ruwyden.

“The community found him at the dam and the diving team removed the body. We need to find the owners of the property to summon them to close off the dam. The perpetrator of last year’s incident has not been arrested,” he said.

Daily Voice

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