Three months later, Lebo Mniki remains missing
Lebo Mniki’s family is adamant that their son, brother, and father is alive, wherever he is, and they won’t stop searching for him.
Today marks exactly three months since Lebo Mniki was last seen and reported missing.
The 36-year-old from Soweto was last seen entering the Respublica Princeton Village student residence in Glen Austin, Midrand, on August 28.
He was there to visit his girlfriend, but CCTV footage failed to capture his exit. Three months later, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Read more: MMC visit grieving family amid search for missing son in Midrand
According to the SABC News, Vuyokazi Ntuthu, Mniki’s elder sister, expressed the family’s feelings of helplessness and uncertainty regarding where to seek assistance. “This has been the most challenging period in our lives. We have not given up hope or ceased searching. It has taken a toll on our daily lives, and we have incurred significant expenses, consulting with various experts. The pain is unbearable, and not a day passes without us thinking of him, praying for his safe return, and seeking guidance to locate him.”
In their interview, Ntuthu, Mniki’s son, Junior, is struggling to cope with his father’s disappearance. “The youngest child is struggling to cope, as he was particularly close to his father. He often experiences difficulty sleeping, and requests to call his dad. I have been attempting to spend quality time with them to provide some comfort.”
Also read: Have you seen this missing man?
Ntuthu expressed frustration with the police’s handling of the case, stating that they have not received any feedback on Mniki’s disappearance.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that there are currently no updates on the case. “I can only confirm that the matter is still under investigation. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to provide details of the investigation at this stage.”
In September, City of Johannesburg Public Safety MMC Dr Mgcini Tshwaku visited the family in Mofolo South to offer support.
Tshwaku assured them he would do everything possible to make a breakthrough in the case, further saying that a thorough investigation into the disappearance was ongoing.
*A previous version of this article did not appropriately attribute the information to the SABC News, the Midrand Reporter apologises for this oversight.
