Mother of missing SA teacher is hopeful to soon be en route to Vietnam in search of her son
Coleen has pleaded with Interpol in Pretoria to give her any information relating to the search progress
The mother of a South African teacher missing in Vietnam, Coleen Bothma, hopes to soon be en route to personally go and look for her son.
John Bothma (22) has been missing in this country exactly a month on Monday. He was teaching at Hurong Canh Secondary School in Binh Xuyen, Phuc Province the past six months. His work visa, sponsored by the Institute for Training and Economic development, expired on May 26.
Not much has come to light after his disappearance May 18. John visited a friend in Ho Chi Minh City around the time of his disappearance.
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According to Coleen, John was last seen with a Vietnamese woman the night before his disappearance, and returned to his hostel the same evening. Nobody has any idea who this woman was, but Coleen said the woman had been reached by authorities for questioning.
The woman told authorities John never mentioned what his plans would be the next day, the day of his disappearance. She didn’t get any helpful information about his whereabouts nor did she notice anything abnormal about his behaviour.
Coleen, a nurse at doctors’ room in Kempton Park, puts up a strong appearance to distract herself from her nightmare. “I keep calling him every day, sending messages but no answers. It’s really starting to get me down,” she said.
Coleen has pleaded with Interpol in Pretoria to give her any information relating to the search progress. They promised to update Coleen, even if there is no news but Interpol didn’t get back to her as they’d promised.
When asked about John and his character, his mother’s eyes lit up. “John has the utmost respect for me and the elderly. He is not the most outspoken person but is totally his own character,” she reminisces. “And kids…,” she said with dramatic gestures. “Kids were his absolute soft spot.”
Coleen received her official passport on June 10 and plans on booking a ticket to Vietnam as soon as she has saved the necessary funds. Leandri Pereira, John’s sister, seems a bit critical about her mother’s decision to go all the way overseas on the search, saying: “Ho Chi Minh City is so massive, where would she start looking?” However, Coleen is determined to make it work.
“Even if things turn out for the worst, I will go overseas to see the streets my son walked before he went missing.” She has only been on one flight to Durban in her entire life.
“All I have to go on are the experiences shared by Boeta (John),” she said.
Anyone who wishes to donate funds to her cause can contact Coleen on 081 573 6292 or email Leandri at lean3q@gmail.com
