Remains of missing man, 20, found in Knysna forest

By Brett Adkins

A BLOEMFONTEIN couple‘s frantic eight-month search for their 20-year-old son who went missing in bizarre circumstances has ended in Knysna after human remains found deep in the forest were positively identified as being those of the young man.

It appears Rayno Gouws, who was reported missing by his parents in February this year, was bitten by a snake while hiking alone in the Gouna plantation forest and collapsed and died before he could reach help.

However, a post-mortem must still be performed to confirm the exact cause of death.

Police ruled out foul play after all Gouws‘s belongings were found with his remains, including his learner‘s licence, backpack and cash.

The discovery of the remains of a young missing person in the heart of a Knysna plantation comes just after the recent release of a documentary film on another mystery in the forests – the unsolved 1969 disappearance of 20-year-old drama student Rosalind Ballingall.

For the missing man‘s parents, Varenda and Willem Gouws, the discovery of their son‘s remains by a woodcutter on Friday has ended a long and torturous search which saw them travelling 7 000km around the country, fearing the worst.

“We‘ve been through hell,” said Varenda yesterday after she and her husband had travelled to Knysna to be taken to the site where their son‘s remains were found.

But, she said, the discovery had brought some closure over the mystery of his disappearance.

“We thought he might have been murdered or kidnapped.”

She said it appeared Rayno had died from a snake bite while hiking alone in the forest.

“He was an absolute nature worshipper – he loved it. He wouldn‘t even kill a fly. He believed they had a purpose on Earth. He went to Knysna to enjoy the nature of the area.”

Willem said it wasn‘t possible to tell what kind of snake had bitten their son because of the length of time that had passed since his death.

Varenda said Rayno – who had worked as an artist in her interior decorating business in Bloemfontein – had arrived in Knysna on Saturday, February 25, and had phoned them to let them know “he was now here”.

But when there was no further communication from him, the family became increasingly worried and reported him missing to the police.

“He would always make contact with us and tell us where he was. He was 20 years old and if he knew he was going to be late he‘d tell us – he was that kind of guy.”

Varenda said she and her husband were still bitter about the person who had assisted them in trying to trace their son using what is claimed to be cutting-edge technology, using DNA from a missing person‘s hair threads to track them down.

The technology was featured on television earlier this year when a private investigator demonstrated the method of slowly narrowing down an area where a missing person might be through the DNA tracking technique. But very little was revealed about the exact mechanics of the process.

Varenda, who provided some hair from a razor blade, said the person who had assisted them had told them their son “was on the move from Knysna and then in Transkei and then in St Lucia”.

“He said Rayno was moving fast. It was a joke. We travelled 7 000km around the country.”

The couple were taken yesterday to the site where their son‘s remains were found. “It was deep in the forest. We found a silver necklace he had been wearing, some incense he had with him, and his backpack still with all the clothes he took from home.”

Southern Cape police spokesman Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe said an inquest into Gouws‘s death had been opened.

“A woodcutter, Allistair Arries, discovered the remains on Friday morning. Mr Arries informed the police immediately after the discovery and the scene was investigated.”

Varenda said a memorial service would be held for Rayno in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. She and her husband drove back to Bloemfontein from Knysna yesterday.

The couple also have a younger son, Heinrich, 17.

Recently, a documentary by freelance filmmaker Nicole Schafer on the disappearance in the forests of Ballingall – a beautiful blonde University of Cape Town student – was featured at a Knysna film festival.