Pansy Msimanga, the mother of Unisa law student Sinqobile Zanele Msimanga, is seeking help for her daughter to return home.
The distraught mother said Sinqobile, 26, has never disappeared from home before.
Msimanga, from Springs in Ekurhuleni, is having sleepless nights since Sinqobile disappeared on July 4 after a misunderstanding between them. She fears that her child might be in danger because money has been withdrawn from her account. Last Thursday, money was withdrawn from her account in the west of Joburg.
On July 19, the mother received a call from an unknown number. The person/s informed her that in order for her daughter to be released unharmed, she needed to pay a ransom of R3500.
Msimanga informed the police who later told her that the number was unregistered.
She reached out to The Star last week, complaining that the police had not opened a missing persons case. She said when her daughter did not return home after a week, she went to the Springs police station to report her missing.
Msimanga said officers turned her away, and advised her to first look for her child among her friends or family.
Other relatives from Soweto visited the Dobsonville and Doornkop police stations to report a missing person.
Gauteng SAPS provincial spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza took the matter by the horns when Independent Media reached out to her to assist the distraught mother.
Kweza said all members of the police know that a missing person matter must be treated with urgency.
She organised a meeting between Msimanga and the station commander at the Springs police station.
Yesterday (Sunday), Kweza confirmed that police had opened an inquiry docket into Sinqobile’s disappearance.
“Springs police are investigating allegations that police refused to assist the mother of a victim who has been missing since the beginning of the month. If any wrongdoing has been established among the members, they will be dealt with accordingly,” said Kweza.
The prevalence of people disappearing is also linked to night clubs and the night life. The Star is informed of a woman trafficking syndicate operating from Johannesburg and Tshwane. Young women are invited to dinner and clubbing by a particular “handsome” man on social media. They even proceeds to a club and where a syndicate of a waiter, security and e-hailing drivers work together to have the victim kidnapped.
Nonkululeko Thwala, who escaped a potential kidnapping, spoke to The Star. “He was smart and dressed very well. He took me out a few times but on this night he was giving me more alcohol than usual. He asked that we go to his place but I said I preferred that we go to a club in Midrand. He called for the Uber, I think he was working with the driver because the same driver came to pick us up. We agreed that they drop me off at my flat but the car took a different route. I became very uncomfortable and forced open the door while the vehicle was moving. The car sped off, he then blocked me on all apps,” Thwala said.
Thwala said she later learnt that there are hijacking and abduction syndicates operating in the country. The syndicates are run by locals and foreign nationals. In many cases, hijackers demand ransoms from family members and in some cases the abducted are drugged and sold into the Johannesburg drug underworld. Some victims are murdered for body parts.
Women and men are advised to not take kids from strangers, not to go on blind dates with men or women, to properly check the e-hailing service they use and not unsuspectingly follow job offers and employment advertisements.
Missing Children South Africa’s statistics indicate that 77% of children are found. However, this means that at least 23% of missing children are never found, trafficked or are found deceased.
According to the 2023/24 SAPS crime statistics between July and September, there were an alarming 4 300 reported cases of kidnapping.
Reports suggest that most of these kidnappings occur in Gauteng.
Experts have warned that these kidnappers are targeting not only the rich and affluent, but also people in lower-income communities.
The SAPS 2023/24 stats indicate that the top five kidnapping areas are Protea, Moroka, Orange Farm, Jeppe and Ivory Park, all of which are in Gauteng.
The country ranked first on the African continent for kidnappings and seventh worldwide.
Close to 4 000 children remain missing in South Africa, and 3 712 children have vanished since 1995. Of these, 1 537 are boys and 2 175 girls, according to the SAPS statistics released in June last year.
Wendy Pascoe, a private investigator at Missing in SA and Pascoe Investigations, told The Star that there has been a noticeable increase in missing individuals recently.
She said, on a positive note, many non-profit organisations had started creating more awareness about this issue.
Pascoe said the reasons for people going missing were varied and can range from drug activity to criminal activity, natural disasters, medical reasons, unhappiness at home or school, kidnappings, and even custody battles.
Pascoe said it was a clear indication that someone was struggling for one or more reasons.
“At Missing in SA, we strive to assist families and law enforcement by doing the necessary groundwork. Unfortunately, there has also been an increase in hijack victims. Suspects no longer have any regard for human life. Hence, we make it our priority to create the MISSING ALERT as soon as someone goes missing because time is not on our side.
“I understand that our daily routines can be monotonous, but it is crucial for people to be more aware of their surroundings and take note if something seems off.
“There is no waiting period when it comes to reporting a missing person. It must be done immediately,” said Pascoe.
The Star
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