Moti kidnapping: 2 weeks of prayers, vigils

POLOKWANE – “We will not stop until they are found.”

Bianca Buys, who on Saturday (October 31) organised a candlelight ceremony to bring awareness to the plight of the Moti family whose four boys were taken by armed men two weeks ago, is adamant that all efforts to find them will continue. The children have not yet been returned and the agonising wait continues for the family.

The ceremony was held in Westenburg and organised in conjunction with Team Stress’s Anti-Kidnapping Drive with the message ‘stop taking our children’.

“This is not the first incident in which children have gone missing in Polokwane and it will most probably not be the last. We will not stop until all our children are returned,” Buys said.

She says she wants more residents present at the next ceremony and invites the community to join her in this quest. “If it affects one, it affects all of us. You are not alone and together me can make a difference.” Should the children not be returned soon, another candlelight ceremony will be planned.

Due to the sensitivity of the investigation, the police have been mum on any developments in the kidnapping of Zidan (6), Zayyad (11), Alaan (13) and Zia (15) Moti. They have also asked for the media and other stakeholders to treat the matter with the necessary discretion.

Police Minister Bheki Cele earlier remarked that a multi-approach task team was assembled by the national police commissioner to head up the investigation. Cele said even though this was a difficult case, they were making progress and he remained hopeful that the children will be found unharmed.

Read more: Moti kidnapping: Reports of arrests are false, police confirm

Anyone with information that can lead to the freeing of the children and arrest of the criminals can contact Maj Genl Sam Manala, the deputy provincial commissioner responsible for crime detection, via WhatsApp on 082 411 5316.