SAPS reunites nearly 18 000 missing persons with families in 5 years
Since 2020, the South African Police Service has found over 2 900 missing children.
As the nation grapples with the growing human trafficking trend, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is proving its commitment to its slogan: ‘Pushing back the frontiers of evil’, announcing its remarkable achievement in reuniting missing persons with their families.
According to SAPS, 17 968 people, including both adults and children, were found after having being reported missing at police stations around the country.
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Of those found,
- 15 005 were adults,
- 2 963 are minors (children under the age of 18), and
- 1 919 are female children, while 967 are male children.
Saps credited intelligence and the hard work of police officers for this achievement.
“During missing persons investigations, SAPS appoints a multidisciplinary team to handle these cases, which includes seasoned detectives, crime and counter intelligence officers, the DPCI (HAWKS), K9 search and rescue, cybercrime unit, and, where necessary, the police diving unit,” said SAPS in a statement.
Sadly, not all missing person cases have ended in reunification.
According to SAPS, 3 099 bodies belonging to individuals reported missing have been recovered by SAPS divers from bodies of water. The victims are presumed to have died due to drowning.
The police service has encouraged those who believe a loved one has gone missing to:
- Immediately report the missing individual to a police station,
- Provide a recent photo of the missing person,
- Give detailed descriptions of what the person was wearing when they disappeared, and
- Provide details of the person’s last known location.
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