Tragic end to search for missing Tiffany Rahl

Tiffany Rahl

Tiffany Rahl

Published Sep 22, 2018

Share

Durban - A community’s search for missing Tiffany Rahl, 21, from Kloof, ended on a tragic note on Friday morning when her body was found at Kloof Gorge.

Social media drove the search after she went missing on Thursday. Neighbourhood Watch groups, security companies, SAPS and metro police joined residents in the search for Rahl.

Social media platforms were abuzz with speculation that she may have been abducted. Late on Thursday night, Rahl’s backpack was found at the 11th hole of Kloof Country Club near the edge of the gorge.

In the early daylight hours of Friday, her body was spotted at the bottom of the gorge.

That section of the golf course was cordoned off by police and a recovery operation was put into place by SAPS and metro search and rescue officers.

While the devastated Rahl family did not comment, Nikki Moolman from Kloof Community Policing Forum, who was at the family’s home on Friday morning, said: “We were searching since yesterday and our heartfelt condolences go out to the family.”

She added that while the cause of death was still to be established, “we would like to place on record that this was definitely not an abduction case as was being circulated on social media platforms”.

There has recently been a slew of fake WhatsApp messages and voice notes with details of “abductions” in Durban, which have not taken place.

A Maytime Community Association spokesperson confirmed that its team worked through the night into the early hours of Friday after the Rahls reported Tiffany’s disappearance.

Blue Security spokesperson said: “Our control room was made aware through WhatsApp networks that there was a missing girl and we put out an alert to all our armed response officers to be on the lookout

“We heard the news at about three in the morning that the search and rescue teams were going to be conducting a first-light inspection of the area and we arrived on scene just after 6am.”

Kloof Country Club general manager Pam Mayberry said it was not aware of the search until Friday morning. “We closed off that part of the golf course and we offer our condolences to the family.”

Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said the cause of death was still to be established.

“We can confirm that a body of a 21-year-old woman was discovered at Kloof Gorge. The victim was reported missing yesterday at Pinetown SAPS.”

Independent On Saturday

Related Topics: