By CARYN TAMARI, Robert Schroder’s sister
When Robert Schroder’s 60th birthday came up recently, his family invited people to share memories of him on a Facebook page created after he went missing nearly two years ago.
The response was deeply moving.
Messages arrived from across Cape Town – from people who had known Robert in different ways and at different times in his life. Some remembered picking him up while he was hitchhiking along Strand Street or through Milnerton. Others recalled conversations with him at flea markets, on the beaches of Clifton, or in the streets of Sea Point.
Again and again, people described the same qualities: Robert was independent, outspoken and impossible to forget – but also warm, chatty and kind.
One person wrote that whenever he saw Robert on the side of the road, he would open his car door and invite him in. “He was always upbeat and always chatty,” the message read. Another remembered Robert’s passionate stories and strong opinions around the dinner table when they were younger. Someone else described him as “one in a million, with very definite ideas and feelings about the world around him.”
Perhaps the most poignant message simply said: “Happy birthday, Robert, wherever you are.”
Robert grew up in Milnerton during the 1970s and 1980s in a well-known family within the local Jewish community. His late father, Bubbles Schroder, was deeply involved in Maccabi soccer, while his late mother, Naomi Schroder, was widely known for her catering, becoming part of many families’ celebrations, as well as for her work with organisations such as Bnoth Zion and WIZO.
Like many Jewish families in Cape Town, the Schroders’ lives revolved around institutions such as Herzlia, the Gardens Shul, and Habonim. Robert and his siblings spent many formative years attending youth activities, camps and Shabbat programmes.
Yet Robert always followed his own path.
As a young man he served in the South African army, where he was involved in a serious car accident that caused head injuries. Although doctors later believed he had recovered, his family felt the accident may have had lasting effects.
Over the years, Robert tried many different things. He studied horticulture and worked in that field. At other times he sold goods at flea markets, places where many Capetonians remember encountering him.
He spent much of his time travelling around the city, often hitchhiking. Despite his beard and unconventional appearance – which could make him seem intimidating at first glance – people frequently stopped to give him lifts.
Looking back, that says something about the connections he formed with strangers. Many who met him briefly still remember the conversations they shared.
Robert could be solitary in some ways, but he also found a strong sense of belonging through music and the festival community. He loved attending concerts at Kirstenbosch and gatherings such as Afrikaburn. He particularly enjoyed Louvain Burn, held on Louvain Farm near George, where a few hundred people gather for music, art and community.
In August 2024 he travelled there again.
As always, getting him there involved the family. His aunt Ada woke him that morning. His brother Paul, who lives in Australia, arranged the Uber that took him to the bus. His sister spoke with him on the phone while he was on his way.
On the Friday night, he sent Paul a message saying his tent was up, he had a beer in his hand, and he was happy he had come.
The last confirmed sighting of Robert was on Sunday afternoon, 11 August 2024.
When the festival ended, his tent was found still standing with all his belongings inside. But Robert was gone.
What followed was an extensive search. Police conducted operations using divers, drones and search dogs. Volunteers combed the surrounding area, posters were distributed, and people drove through nearby towns asking questions. The family even brought in an international search-and-rescue company to assist.
Despite these efforts, no trace of Robert has been found.
His family continues to follow up leads and work with a private investigator, while keeping his story visible through the Missing Persons Facebook page.
For them, the memories people have shared since his 60th birthday have been both comforting and illuminating. They reveal parts of Robert’s life that his family did not always see – the brief roadside lifts, the beach conversations, the spontaneous chats in markets and cafés.
While Robert’s life did not follow a conventional path, many people remember the positive encounters with him.
In the end, perhaps that is what so many of the messages have expressed: that Robert Schroder, in his own distinctive way, left an impression on people – and that he is still remembered.
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