Reid grew up in Boksburg and at the age of 20, she went missing from the Spartacus complex in Paul Smit Street, Ravenswood, where she was living with her mother.
Her family has been searching for her since 2001.
ALSO READ: Do you know this woman? Her family has been searching for her since 2001
Reid’s sister, Janetta Joao, from Parkdene, has over the years spoken to everyone who knew Reid and has even searched for her on Facebook.
She has also run searches at home affairs, and done ID, Fica and Rica checks.
“It’s as though she (Reid) had disappeared from the planet,” said Joao.
Joao created two Facebook pages in search of her missing sister: Desiree Reid Missing and Desiree Reid missing 17 years – someone must know something?
“Our family suffers tremendously. Every day we wake up to this reality and we wonder whether she’s alive and if she has had something to eat,” explained Joao.
“It is very traumatising and we won’t accept she’s dead until we see her body.”
Joao told the Advertiser there are people out there who take advantage of the situation to get money from her.
She’s also received rude messages from people, saying Reid’s addiction to drugs is the reason for her disapearance.
“She (Reid) is only a human being; everyone makes mistakes,” said Joao.
A missing person’s docket was opened at the Benoni Police Station to investigate Reid’s disappearance, in 2001, but the case went cold.
The South African Community Crime Watch has been instrumental in the case being reopened.
The non-profit organisation will create awareness of the disappearance of Reid and investigate the case, alongside the police.
Wendy Pascoe, of the South African Community Crime Watch, will investigate the case. She currently lives in Durban, but will soon be relocating to Van Dyk Park.
She saw the lookout for Reid on Facebook and got in touch with Joao for more information.
“When I contacted the Benoni SAPS there was no record of the case, therefore it had to be reopened for me to assist,” said Pascoe.
The reason she got involved and offered her assistance to the family, is to get them closure.
“So far, no one has done anything to assist with this case,” said Pascoe.
Pascoe is also a personal investigator and has been investigating missing persons for 10 years. She has worked with the Pink Ladies organisation too.
“It’s not just about releasing a missing persons poster, there’s much more that goes into locating that missing person.”
She said Interpol will be notified and they will investigate the possibility of Reid being a victim of human trafficking.
She will also interview people of interest who were close to Reid.
