Mother pleads for help finding missing son, Christiaan Nienaber

Christiaan Nienaber, 33, vanished on November 25, 2021, after leaving Pretoria to find work.

His mother, Annette Alberts, remains desperate for answers, clinging to hope after a recent sighting in Nelspruit.

“My son, Christiaan Nienaber, left Pretoria for Potchefstroom to look for work. He called me on November 28, 2021, and said he would pick me up in Piet Retief so I could stay with him.

“Since then, I have tried calling him again, but his number no longer exists.”

Annette said Christiaan was last seen on November 25, 2021, and has never been heard from again.

“I have been searching for my son ever since, but so far, I have been unsuccessful.”

She said Christiaan is now 33 years old.

“We moved to Pretoria when he was 15. This is the first time something like this has happened.

“He is a loving, helpful child who used to scare me with spiders, always joking around, but also able to take a joke. He is hardworking, reliable, and has the most beautiful personality—always respectful towards others.”

Annette says it is heartbreaking that she cannot find her child.

“Sleepless nights, rivers of tears, wondering where he is, if he is safe, if he has food or a place to sleep—all these thoughts run through a person’s mind day and night.”

She added that it is a pain that only a mother going through it can describe.

“It is far worse than losing someone to death because at least then you know where the person is. Not knowing where your child is or if they are safe feels like being in prison, waiting on death row.”

Annette says a woman called her two weeks ago, saying Christiaan was seen in Nelspruit, near the Sunhill Spar.

“But since then, there has been no further news. Security searched for him there but could not find him.”

REMEMBER: THERE IS NO WAITING PERIOD TO REPORT A MISSING PERSON

• Produce a recent photograph of the missing person, if possible.
• Give a complete description of the missing person’s last whereabouts, clothes that they were wearing, and any information that can assist the investigating officer.
• Complete and sign a SAPS 55(A) form. This form safeguards the SAPS from hoax reports and indemnifies the SAPS to distribute the photograph and information of the missing person.
• Obtain the investigating officer’s contact details, and send any additional information that might become available.
• If a missing person is found or returns voluntarily, inform the investigating officer immediately. A SAPS 92 form must be completed to inform the Bureau of Missing Persons that the missing person’s report can be removed from the circulation system.

Also read: Don’t suffer in silence: How Pretoria teens can get help for suicidal thoughts

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