MBOMBELA – The search for Missing Swiss Nick Wiesmann continued today.
Pamphlets with Wiesmann’s photo were also distributed:
Earlier today (September 21, 2016 at 08:36) Lowvelder reported:
MBOMBELA – “The Preacher.”
This was the nickname Mr Nick Wiesmann had earned while living and working in Cameroon in the 1980s, 1990s and the first few years of the new millenium.
The Preacher has now been missing for 85 hours.
Lowvelder previously reported on his disappearance – a strange set of circumstances that has brought Mpumalanga’s capital to a standstill.
Wiesmann was attending a wedding in the Lowveld Botanical Gardens on Saturday. At 17:45, he left the reception and walked towards the rental car he had been driving to fetch his jacket. He never returned.
A search was launched for Wiesmann shortly after his disappearance. It is still continuing. However, no sign of the man or clue to what may have happened to him, was found.
Read more on the Wiesmann search here:
– Day 1 (Saturday, September 17, 2016)
– Day2 (Sunday, September 18, 2016)
– Day 3 (Monday , September 19, 2016)
– Day 4 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)
His wife, Bettina and daughter, Nicolette, agreed to share some details pertaining to Nick. They described the man in detail, hoping that a deeper insight into his character may assist locals in finding him.
“Nick is a wonderful husband, dad and grandfather,” said Nicolette. “We have been married for 50 years,” added Bettina. The couple has two children and four grandchildren whom they love dearly.
According to Nicolette, he loves reading global news, wining and dining, as well as classical music. “He spends many hours a day on his computer, reading news,” she said. Nick speaks four languages – English, German, French and Italian.
According to Nicolette, her father loves the African continent. Although he is a Swiss citizen, he has been working all over the continent for years. He was based in Cameroon for 25 years, where he worked as an administrative manager.* He shared wisdom and life lessons with his employees, which inspired them to name him “The Preacher”.
Nick and Bettina retired in Cape Town 10 years ago.
“He had a major heart operation six years ago,” said Nicolette. Since then, his sense of orientation has been affected.
Bettina confirmed this in a previous interview with Lowvelder:
Nicolette said the family was immeasurably grateful towards the search party and begged them to keep going.
“Please don’t give up. He needs all of you to find him,” she said and expressed her thanks once again.
Bettina has received the support of family friends during this trying time and her son, Daniel, is currently travelling to South Africa to assist his mother.
Meanwhile, the search for Nick continues.
* Lowvelder previously reported that he is a Swiss tourist. It has since transpired that he is, in fact, a Swiss citizen living in Cape Town.
** Note of thanks: Local Mr Bruce Macaulay is involved in the search and extended his thanks to Tempest car hire that assisted Ms Wiesmann with swopping the Wiesmann’s previous rental vehicle with another car. “We would also like to thank Jörn’s Guesthouse that offered her a night’s free accommodation as well as businesses that assisted in providing beverages for the search party,” he said.
