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Following an exhaustive search and public appeals for information, police discovered the body of missing SA high jumper, Jacques Freitag, in Pretoria on Monday afternoon.

The search-and-rescue team found the 42-year-old’s bullet-riddled body in a field near Zandfontein Cemetery.

He was reported missing two weeks ago after he was picked up by an unknown man from his mother’s home in Pretoria West.

Freitag is alleged to have been offered R60,000 for ‘a job’ by the unknown man, but Netwerk24 reported that he was, however, only paid R6,000 at the time of his disappearance because he “failed to do the job properly”.

Maroela Media reported yesterday that Freitag was last seen at a guesthouse in Pretoria, where an unknown person dropped him off. Staff at the guesthouse confirmed that the lanky athlete only had a toiletry bag with him and paid cash. The guesthouse is about 4km from the veld where Freitag’s body was found.

Staff at the guesthouse confirmed that Freitag appeared to be waiting for a call from the man who dropped him off and asked them to notify him if the person called. No calls were reported and the following morning Freitag allegedly told staff he was heading out “down the road” to find the person who had dropped him off.

He was not seen again by guesthouse staff, but they did report to police that an unknown woman called later that day to enquire if Freitag was still there.

According to a report in Netwerk24, Freitag’s body was found with wounds consistent with an ‘execution’, and unconfirmed reports of dealings with an alleged drug dealer in the area also swirled. Police are, however, still investigating, so at this stage, most media reports are merely based on rumours and ‘reliable sources’.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed a case of murder is being investigated.

“The discovery was made by the SAPS Search and Rescue Team which has been conducting a search for the missing person. The team included members from Air Wing with a police chopper, Water Wing and the local police.”