Family pleads for breakthrough after a month of son’s disappearance in Midrand
One month after Lebo Mniki’s disappearance in Midrand, his family clings to hope, demanding answers, while the MMC for Public Safety assures investigations into the missing man case after he visits the family.
A month has passed since the disappearance of Lebo Sonwabo Moleli Mniki, and his family’s search for answers is growing increasingly desperate.
The 35-year-old, who turned 36 on September 14, was last seen on the morning of August 28, when he entered the Respublica Princeton Village student accommodation in Midrand to visit his girlfriend. Since then, there has been no sign of him.
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Mniki is described as having light brown eyes, a full beard, and a tattoo. He was known to be a responsible and ambitious person. For his family, who reported him missing at the Midrand Police Station, each day is filled with anguish and uncertainty.
This pain is especially acute for his children, who, according to Lebo’s mother, Nontuthuzelo Mniki, repeatedly ask where their father is.
“I have no words,” Nontuthuzelo told the media. “I had hope. I thought maybe he’s not dead, but now I’m beginning to doubt and fear the worst for my son. He loved his work; he lived for his work. He lived for Junior [Mniki’s child]. He would never abandon Junior. He would not abandon us.
“Junior keeps asking, ‘Where’s my dad?’ He’s two years old. Junior used to spend most weekends driving around with his dad. They were incredibly close. There are also other children; he was never married, but he had children, and they’re all asking, ‘Where’s our dad?’ …And yet, I have no answers.
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“How do you explain to a two-year-old or a 10-year-old that I don’t know where their father is? I don’t know if he will be coming home. We are starting to fear the worst.”
The family’s torment has worsened due to the grim task of viewing bodies found in Gauteng, hoping to find closure. According to Nontuthuzelo, the police recently discovered a badly burned body, and both her DNA and the body’s DNA were taken to determine if there was a match. “It might take three weeks or three months,” she said, describing the agonising wait for results.
“There are similarities with the burned body, but as a parent, I don’t want to see them. I may be in denial. I viewed the body, and it was too badly burned, but to a certain degree, I feel that it could be him.”
On September 27, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, the City of Johannesburg Public Safety MMC, visited the family home in Mofolo South, Soweto, to offer support and assure them he would do everything possible to make a breakthrough in the case. He confirmed that a thorough investigation into the disappearance is ongoing.
The case has also drawn attention to the role of Respublica Princeton Village, where Mniki was last seen. The family has expressed concerns regarding the CCTV footage provided by Respublica to the police, as they have yet to see evidence of Mniki leaving the premises.
“The footage I saw was of someone still within the perimeters of [Respublica], and now the first video they showed us of someone entering [Respublica] was of a person wearing all black. The one they are showing us now is wearing black and white, and you ask yourself, ‘What is this? ’ When are we going to get closure as a family? Because if they have footage, they must start showing it to us,” added Nontuthuzelo.
For the Mniki family, the wait continues, oscillating between hope and despair. “I need closure,” pleaded Nontuthuzelo. “If they [Respublica or the police] have footage, they must show me. If it’s him exiting, then I’ll go look for him somewhere else. But right now, I don’t know where my son is.”
Respublica had previously stated that it had fully cooperated with investigators. The operations managing director for the residence, Bronwyn Boavida, confirmed that the requested CCTV footage was handed over to the police in early September, emphasising that the accommodation is privately owned and not affiliated with Eduvos Campus, despite allegations that it only houses students from that campus.
On September 28, Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that Mniki remains missing. “The police are still investigating and following all information received to trace and locate him,” said Nevhuhulwi.
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