2 more children reported missing

Police PRO Wendy Hleta.

MANZINI – Two more children aged six and 13 years-old went missing at Ekudzeni and Mbhuleni respectively this week.

The missing children have further created fear in the Manzini region following the disappearance of Babongiwe Vilakati (8) of Ngculwini, who went missing on Friday while doing her laundry at Mhlamati River. This means that yesterday there were two police operations in the Manzini region to locate the girls who have gone missing.

However, late in the day the police got a third report of a missing person at Mbhuleni.
The two minors are Matfombi Matsebula (six) who went missing at Ekudzeni on Sunday and Minenhle Ndwandwe (13) who went missing at Mbhuleni yesterday. Information gathered from a reliable source was that Matfombi disappeared while preparing to go to church on the said day.

The source said Matfombi had a tendency to hide when it was time to go to church but on the day she disappeared, she left as if she was going to the toilet.

“When the other children were taking a bath preparing to go to church together with Matfombi, the latter asked to go to the toilet and willingly, her guardians allowed, her not knowing that she was not going to come back. They only noticed her disappearance when the other children were ready to go to church,” the source said. The source said the other children and the parents did not suspect that Matfombi would not return home.

Meanwhile, information gathered was that Minenhle, who also went missing on Sunday at Mbhuleni is originally from Qomintaba.
The source said her aunt was at work and had left the minor in the house on the fateful day but when she came back from work she did not find her in the house. It was gathered that when she enquired about her whereabouts from neighbours, some told her that they saw her carrying a bag but did not see which direction she took when leaving the house.

Slender

Information gathered was that Minenhle is light in complexion, slender and has natural hair. It was also gathered that when she was last seen by her aunt’s neighbours at about 7pm on the said day, she was wearing a blue jean skirt, a pink T-shirt, a blue jean jacket and school shoes. Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Superintendent Wendy Hleta confirmed both matters. She said the police would do everything possible to find the missing children.

“Today (yesterday) police from Mankayane, Bhunya, Malkerns and Matsapha collectively tried to search for Matfombi but could not find her. The main challenge that they faced was that the community members did not know her as she was there to visit her aunt who lives at a Shongwe homestead. The community members were also not aware that there was a missing child at the Shongwe homestead, which means that the reports only got to us (police) without circulating in the community first,” Hleta said.

Regarding the disappearance of Minenhle, Hleta said they could not tell where she might have gone to but suspected that she might have decided to go back home or to seek a job. The PRO said they do not believe that the two children, Matfombi and Minenhle had been kidnapped because of how they had gone missing. She said the only child whom they suspect had been kidnapped was Babongiwe, who went missing on Friday at Ngculwini.

“Tomorrow (today) the police will continue with their investigations at Ekudzeni while others will start investigating the matter and whereabouts of the child who went missing at Mbhuleni,” Hleta said.
She also urged the public who might have information about the missing children or about suspects who might have kidnapped the minors to contact the police on their free toll line; 999 or 9999.

Cops warn parents

MANZINI – Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta urged parents and guardians not to panic but watch their children.
Hleta said they have noted that most parents have started panicking due to the reports of missing children.

She urged them not to panic but to be responsible by keeping a close eye on their children since schools are closed.
The police mouthpiece also urged parents to notify their neighbours when a child had paid them a visit so that they could assist in keeping a close eye on that child.

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