A 16-year-old boy will appear in the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court today in connection with the murder of Hillcrest Secondary School learner Khanya Mafuta (18).

Khanya died of a stab wound to his chest after he was attacked in KwaNonqaba over the weekend.

He recently represented South Africa in the World Sailing Youth Championships and had been sailing with the Skipper Foundation for the past four years.

Khanya and his sailing partner Oliver Holden represented South Africa at the championships in The Hague, Netherlands, in July, when 450 sailors from 69 countries participated in the 51st youth event.

It was the first time ever for Khanya to travel out of the Cape and the first time ever on an aeroplane.

Khanya learned to sail about five years ago when a friend dragged him to free sailing classes that the Skipper Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Mossel Bay, offers.

His commitment to the sport was highly apparent and he quickly moved up the sailing ladder and was chosen as a high-performance member of the Skipper Foundation.

Later he joined Oliver on the 29er to make a team.