The last few months of the year were filled with confusion and shock for people in the Midlands.

This was after Tony (73) and Jill (78) Dinus went missing from a cottage they rented at a farm near Mooi River on August 27, 2023. The couple were last seen by the property owner, who also discovered that they were missing.

The Witness reported that the property owner went to their cottage and noticed that they were not at the house. While inspecting, he discovered that all the doors and gate were locked and the couple’s vehicle was still on the property.

Their five dogs and three cats were inside the locked house in separate bedrooms, the same way they’d leave them when they went out.

The elderly couple is said to hardly leave the property since Jill used a walking stick. However, the walker was found inside the property causing more consternation to many.

Initially, a missing persons case was opened as there was no visible evidence of a break-in or struggle at the remote property. Police opened a kidnapping case after a ransom demand was received soon thereafter.

While locals are waiting for this mystery to be solved months later, the police are still investigating.

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said they still don’t know where the couple are or what happened to them.

In September, many thought there was a breakthrough in the case and hopes of finding the couple would finally come true when two people were arrested.

This was after police and K9 Unit sniffer dogs searched an area that was believed to be where the couple were buried, but their bodies were never found.

This caused a lot of pain to those close to the couple and family.

While people thought the couple would be found and the perpetrators would face justice, the two suspects were released due to insufficient evidence and police continue with their investigation.

Those staying in the Midlands area, especially on farms, have also raised safety concerns since the couple have not been found. One of the residents living on a farm near Mooi River said they think about Tony and Jill every day.

“I pray for their safety every single day. It’s really not fair that after so many months they are still not found and the police don’t have anything. I pray for their families as well because I can only imagine how they are coping, not sure what had happened to their loved ones.”

“Since they went missing, I have been very alarmed by a lot of things that didn’t bother me before.

“Since no one seems to know what really happened to them, everything scares me and I always try and lock doors, inform close family members about my whereabouts and my children are now always checking up on me. Whenever I can’t be reached on the phone, they get worried. We really hope they are found,” said a resident who asked not to be named.

While there have been various assumptions made by residents on what may have happened, nothing can be confirmed by the police who are still investigating the mysterious disappearance of the couple.