Five-month-old Thandeka Nyamane is still missing after vanishing from her family’s home in the Fountain squatter camp, Lyttelton, in the early hours of September 6.
Despite ongoing searches and community appeals, there has been no trace of the infant, who was last seen wearing a pink fluffy onesie with a hoodie.
Meanwhile, the mother of little Thandeka Nyamane, who went missing on September 6, has been arrested.
Police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk said the baby’s mother and her friend were taken into custody on September 10, on charges of child neglect.
Van Dyk said the pair had left their two babies alone while they went out drinking.
“On Saturday, September 6, the mother and her friend left their two babies alone in a house at Fountain Squatter Camp in Lyttelton, while they went to a nearby tavern to drink beer,” he said.
“They were taking turns to check on the children. When it was her (the mother’s) turn, she found that her child was missing,” explained Van Dyk.
He added that the Pretoria Moot Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit is continuing with investigations, as the child has not yet been found.
Anyone with information about Thandeka’s whereabouts is urged to contact the SAPS FCS Pretoria Moot and speak to the investigating officer, Sergeant Sithole, on 071 675 7489. Alternatively, members of the public can reach out to Carina Bam on 071 243 3065.
Police have stressed that there is no waiting period to report a missing person and are appealing to the community to come forward with any leads that could assist in the investigation.
“When a person goes missing, it is of the utmost importance for the SAPS to fulfill our mandate to serve and protect the citizens of South Africa. It is essential to take steps and start the investigation into a missing person’s case immediately.”
You can assist the SAPS when reporting a missing person by following these steps:
THERE IS NO WAITING PERIOD TO REPORT A MISSING PERSON!
Report a missing person at your nearest police station immediately.
- Produce a recent photograph of the missing person, if possible.
- Give a complete description of the missing person’s last whereabouts, the clothes they wore, 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 for distributing 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: Mother of missing Centurion baby arrested for child neglect
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