MOST of the people who go missing, are under the age of 30.
This is according to Elmarie Pretorius, general manager of the People Search and Rescue Unit (PSARU).
Being the first company of its kind in South Africa, this unit was launched in April, last year.
Its aim is to close the link between the first emergency of a missing person call to the point of finding the individual.
Pretorius says the first seven hours after someone has gone missing are crucial, as this time is regarded as the “golden hours”.
“We offer full support with our 24-hour call centre, together with a specialised investigation team that will be dispatched to the last sighting and information received, as well as investigate to closure,” she added.
“The inconceivable event of a child or family member going missing can happen in the blink of an eye.”
PSARU, since its launch, has assisted about 12 families in Kempton Park in searching for their loved ones.
According to PSARU’s statistics, 57 per cent of all missing persons are under 20 years old, followed by 21 to 30 years (17 per cent of all people missing).
The age group 31 to 40 makes up 11 per cent, 41 to 50 years five per cent, 51 to 60 and 61 to 70 years two per cent each and 71 years and older six per cent of all missing persons.
“Every six hours a child goes missing in South Africa, 20 per cent of whom are never found,” Pretorius said. “Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise worldwide and, alarmingly, South Africa is rated fifth on the global human trafficking scale.”
Pretorius said PSARU had a 96 per cent success rate.
“Most of the missing children cases are drug related (76 per cent); the other causes for running away from home are abuse (23 per cent) and one per cent makes up the real missing cases, of family or parent abduction.
“We are exposed more than ever to predators who use their mobility to roam through our communities.”
Pretorius said these predators were able to follow children and family members digitally through social networking sites, luring them into danger through on-line chatting.
This is the way many young people get involved with the wrong people
Pretorius explained that the PSARU team of herself, Anita Coetzer (call centre agent), Wynand Pretorius (investigator) and Sarel Steyn (head of investigations), with a team of 14 highly specialised external investigators, were dedicated to continually building a network of partnerships with like-minded organisations that share the same sense of responsibility.
