Taxi driver search party locates missing man
Taxi drivers worked together to find 41-year-old Pretoria resident who was reported missing earlier this week near Polokwane.
POLOKWANE – Gerrie Kachelhoffer, the brother of local doctor, Thys Kachelhoffer, disappeared shortly after 12:00 Monday afternoon after dropping off workers at a site he was working at in Lebowakgomo.
Kachelhoffer works at a construction and installation company that does contract work at filling stations.
When he did not arrive to pick up the workers several hours later, his colleagues started to suspect something was wrong and launched a searching for him.
His bakkie was located approximately 10 km from where he dropped off the workers. The search began in earnest and posts were made on social media platforms to try and locate him.
Taxi drivers who travel the route between Polokwane and Steelpoort distributed the photo and the information among themselves and launched their own search party.
Tuesday evening around 21:00 a taxi driver found an unconscious Kachelhoffer alongside the road and notified the police. Kachelhoffer was admitted to a local hospital.
According to Provincial Police Spokesperson, Col Ronel Otto, there were no visible wounds on Kachelhoffer and the circumstances regarding to his disappearance are still under investigation.
Kachelhoffer’s wallet is missing.
Otto urged anyone with information about the case to please contact their nearest police station.
Kachelhoffer’s family says although he is still very disoriented and confused, they are just glad he is alive and well.
According to Spokesperson for the Mankweng Taxi Association, Frans Kgasago, the taxi drivers circulated Kachelhoffer’s photo among themselves and notified everyone who might travel along the route to be on the lookout for him.
“It is important to know that taxi drivers are just as concerned as any other citizen when someone goes missing,” he said, and added that taxi drivers are often involved with community policing forums in their area and contribute to fighting crime in their areas through these entities.
