The only wish for the mother of Oratile Kgaswane (13), who has been missing for a week, is that her son return home safely. She said wherever her child was, she hoped it wasn’t too late for him.

The 13-year-old Oratile, a Grade 6 Laerskool Rapportryer learner, went missing on Wednesday April 27. He disappeared from his home.

His distraught and anxious mother, Jackie Kgaswane (37), says she last saw her son when she was leaving their home for work that morning. He was still in his pyjamas and was watching TV while eating breakfast.

Today marked a week since Oratile had gone missing without a trace; this is despite an extensive search by the police, The Carletonville Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, members of the community and other organisations who are helping the family.

Sergeant Carmen Hendricks, Randfontein Police spokesperson, confirmed to the Randfontein Herald that a case of a missing person had been opened.

Kgaswane said with the help of the community they’d searched in different places – walking from Randfontein CBD, at playgrounds, his friends – but there’s still no sign of him and every day without him caused distress.

“I have been everywhere looking for him, even at police stations. I went to his school twice, in the morning and afternoon, just in case he is there,” the boy’s mother says.

The single mother, who runs a business, says she’s been battling with running her shop as she kept wondering where her eldest son could be; a son with whom she’s been close since he was a baby; a ‘good child’ who’s focused and does school work consistently without being monitored.

The distraught mother says for the past week, she has been asking herself what had happened to her child, whether he had eaten, if he was feeling cold, if he’s safe, but most of all where was he? When was he coming back home?

“I don’t want to even speak about what the worst might be for us. He is a child and might be very vulnerable to whatever may be out there. This is creating anxiety for me and my family. The only thing I’d like to say is that I want my son back. I hope to see him soon, safe and sound,” she says.

Anyone with information can contact the Randfontein Police on 011 414 4992, Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or leave an anonymous tip-off on the My SAPS app.