Police stress that there is no waiting period to report a missing person.
Image for illustrative purposes. Picture: Saps
The South African Police Service (Saps) has documented the recovery of over 20 000 missing persons since 2020.
Figures relating to the location of missing persons include under-18s, lost adults and those found to have drowned in waters.
The resources expended in locating missing individuals are substantial, but police urged the public not to delay the reporting of a missing loved one.
Police confirmed on Monday that 17 968 missing persons had been reunited with their families since 2020.
Adults accounted for 15 005 of the located persons, with a further 2 963 made up of 1 919 female minors and 967 males under 18.
Additionally, 2 577 people were rescued from waterways, while a further 3 099 bodies of those who had sadly drowned were recovered by Saps divers.
All were adults and children who had been reported missing at police stations across South Africa.
“Saps remains committed to its mandate of serving and protecting all people living in South Africa and reminds everyone that there is no waiting period to report a loved one missing,” stated police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
“Saps advises anyone who may suspect that a loved one has gone missing to immediately report their friends or family members missing at their nearest police station,” stated Mathe.
Missing persons reports have increased steadily since 2020, with more missing persons having been reported since 2020 than in the previous 25 years.
Mathe stated in 2024 that just over 38 000 people had been reported missing since 1995, with more than 20 000 reports having come in the last five years.
Police deploy a multidisciplinary team to locate missing persons, as well as additional resources based on priority.
“[Units] include seasoned detectives, crime and counter-intelligence officers, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, K9 search and rescue, cyber-crime unit and where necessary, the police diving unit,” Mathe stated.
To report a missing person, affected individuals must complete a Saps 55(A) form and provide a detailed description of the person.
“The reporting must be accompanied by the latest photograph of the missing child or adult, together with information on what they were wearing or where they were last seen,” Mathe explained.
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