Louis Trichardt, Limpopo – A 22-year-old diesel mechanic from Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, has been missing since Wednesday, 26 November 2025, in what police are treating as a suspected violent abduction.
Reuben Marsberg had relocated to Louis Trichardt (officially renamed Makhado in 2003 but still widely known by its original name) earlier this year to take up work in the town’s busy agricultural and mechanical sector. Situated at the foot of the Soutpansberg mountain range about 110 km north of Polokwane, the area is a key commercial hub for surrounding game farms, citrus estates, and macadamia plantations, attracting many young tradespeople seeking employment opportunities.
On 26 November, Marsberg was last seen driving his distinctive cream-coloured 1976 Toyota Land Cruiser, registration unknown, with his toolbox in the load bed. The vehicle was recovered several days later on a street in Polokwane, approximately 100 km south of Louis Trichardt. The interior contained visible blood stains, and several components had been stripped from the vehicle.
His rented home on the outskirts of Louis Trichardt was found ransacked. Missing items include a flat-screen television, PlayStation console, Wi-Fi router, mattress, blanket, a small aluminium boat, and its trailer.
Limpopo police, assisted by K9 units, conducted extensive searches along the N1 corridor between Louis Trichardt and Polokwane as well as in the rural areas around the town, but no trace of the missing man has been found.
The Soutpansberg region, while popular with tourists and farmers, has seen a rise in violent house robberies and vehicle-related crimes in recent years, often linked to syndicates operating along the busy N1 route that connects South Africa to Zimbabwe. Residents say young men living alone are increasingly targeted.
A missing-person docket has been opened at the Louis Trichardt SAPS, and detectives are investigating possible links to violent robbery or hijacking.
Police have appealed to the public for information and can be contacted through the Louis Trichardt police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. All tips will be treated confidentially.
