Col Donald Mdluli, Mpumalanga provincial SAPS, issued a statement confirming this fact.

The Lydenburg SAPS notified the mother that the remains do not belong to her son. However, she said she wanted to have a funeral as this would give her closure.

After he went missing on August 4, 2019, the Coromandel community, Lydenburg SAPS, Lydenburg K9 Unit and Phoenix Security launched a search and rescue to find him.

According to police information, the missing child’s mother, Hesi Nkosi (32), told the police that Nhlakanipho left home to visit Annah Nkosi, his sister, and his grandmother.

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A community member, Bongane Maisela, claimed he saw the boy approaching an unknown vehicle where he was given sweets and money. The child then disappeared without a trace.

On August 9, 2019 Steelburger/Lydenburg News received information that the community was converging next to the alleged suspect’s house, demanding that the child be returned.

Body parts were found on December 22, 2019, but could not be connected to Nhlakanipho.
On January 9, 2020, angry Coromandel residents marched to SAPS Lydenburg’s detective branch to deliver a memorandum of grievances.

The memorandum stated, “Unfair treatment by Lydenburg SAPS. Cases being closed without knowledge of the community and family. The police take time to come when called.”

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The SAPS urge anyone with information that can assist in their investigation to either call the Crime Stop number on 08600-10111 or send information via MySAPSApp which can be downloaded to any smartphone.
All information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.