The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has established a board of inquiry to investigate the mysterious disappearance of one of its soldiers, Private Isak Thompson, from an SA Army Infantry School training area in Oudtshoorn in July this year.  

The 50-year-old father of four vanished without a trace, along with the state's R4 rifle which had been issued to him.

Both the SAPS and the SANDF, assisted by choppers and dogs, immediately launched a manhunt for the soldier, but to no avail.

He was part of close to 30 reconnaissance platoon members who reportedly sat around a fire in the middle of the night during a training camp in the forest before retiring.

After a day's search drew blanks on 18 July, the SANDF opened a missing person's and rifle theft case.

On Tuesday, SANDF spokesperson Brigadier-General Andries Mokoena Mahapa told News24, "The member, together with the firearm, is still not yet located and the South African Police Services (SAPS) investigations and Board of Inquiry (BOI) are still in process. The SANDF will pronounce on the developments upon the completion of the BOI which is dependent on the investigations that are afoot."

SA National Defence Union general secretary Pikkie Greeff said: "The military police must find this person - it's their job".

Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie said Southern Cape detectives have handed over the docket to Western Cape detectives for further investigation. 

"The investigation for the missing person and the theft of the firearm are still ongoing. There are no breakthroughs that we can report at the moment and we still urge the public to come forward with information that may assist us in the case," said Pojie. 

Private Thompson was initially stationed at Fort Ikapa military base in Cape Town, where he was part of the reserve force. 

He was then selected to undergo a 10-week advanced training course at the Oudtshoorn military school with other soldiers drawn from various bases across the country.

Insiders told News24 the training was so tough that trainees started dropping out of the course voluntarily, and in numbers, within the first day.

On the night of his disappearance, which was just two days into training, those close to the investigation said Thompson had tried to quit the training as he had developed a groin injury and blisters due to a 26-kilometre endurance walk exercise. 

Training instructors allegedly barred him from leaving, saying that the drop-out rate was too high, and that the training programme was at stake due to the dwindling number of trainees. 

Trainees were made to walk barefoot while carrying a 50kg backpack filled with items like blankets, an extra uniform and water, News24 reported at the time. 

His family and friends held a protest at the Oudtshoorn base demanding the "truth" about what happened to Thompson.   

His wife and brother are on record saying they fear he may have died.