Musically gifted siblings from Parkdene Jesse and Alyssa Joao, whose aunt Desireè Reid has been missing for over two decades, have recorded and released a song called Void in commemoration of International Missing Children’s Day, which was on May 25.
Void was released as part of a podcast on True Crime South Africa in a special awareness episode to mark this day.
Host Nicole Engelbrecht, who is a former Advertiser journalist, does the research on each case for the podcasts herself, using media coverage, trial footage, social media sources and often by talking to some of the individuals involved.
Using her skills as a creative writer and her passion for true crime, she crafts each script to ensure that listeners are given a deep dive into the case mechanics as well as an understanding of the victims as human beings.
“There is an episode with updates of all the missing person cases I’ve covered before. What stood out is that Desireè has been missing for so long. When I chatted with the family, I learned the reality of this story.
“The missing person cases I cover in my podcast have always been close to my heart and I stay in contact with the family members in hopes that I can continue to assist,” said Engelbrecht.
She asked Janetta Joao, Desireè’s sister, if her children Jesse and Alyssa would like to record a song in memory of Desireè and as a tribute to other people who remain missing.
Jesse, a matric learner at Christian Brothers’ College, wrote the music. The vocals and lyrics were done by
Alyssa, a Grade Nine learner at St Dominic’s. Dudu Sithole played the piano and the recording was done by Thyno Tilona.
The song tells the story of the unresolved grief families experience due to a person being missing.
“We’re happy for the opportunity. It’s a good way to create awareness and it’s a way of opening our hearts
through music,” said Jesse.
The family handed out 1 000 green ribbons at CBC and St Dominic’s for International Missing Children’s Day to create awareness.
About her disappearance
Desireè went missing from Boksburg on January 27, 2000. She was 20 at the time.
Janetta previously said her sibling, who attended Voortrekker High School, started dating a man whom she met in Boksburg. He owned a business next to the shop where she worked.
They later got engaged and moved to Turffontein.
Janetta said the fiancé dropped her sister off at her mother’s Ravenswood flat one night. It was later discovered that her sister and partner were using drugs.
“We put her in a rehabilitation centre and she came out just before Christmas in 1999.”
On the morning of January 27, Desireè’s mother (also Janetta) left her daughter asleep in the flat while
she went grocery shopping.
“When I arrived at the flat around lunchtime, there was no one at home,” Janetta said.
“When my mom came home she asked where my sister was, and I said I thought she was with her. Desireè’s clothes were still in the flat.
There were no cellphones those days so we couldn’t call her.”
The mother and sister thought Desireè may have gone to her father, Nick, with whom they had no contact.
Only a year later did they report the woman missing after the pair bumped into the father who said he
hadn’t seen his daughter in a year.
“We opened the case in Benoni, but it was closed a few years later as the police lost the file.
“In 2003, Desireè called our aunt Betty Kruger’s house and asked to speak to her. She didn’t identify herself and our uncle Barney said our aunt was not home. Desireè then ended the call but phoned back a
while later and identified herself as Desireè.”
Barney said: “Your mom is looking for you. Your sister is looking for you. They are very worried and your aunt has passed away.”
Janetta said that Desireè cried a little and asked the uncle how I was and if I was married, if I had kids
and they spoke a little bit.
“When he hung up, he phoned my mom and she informed me that my sister was alive.”
During this time, Desireè had called her mother’s work and asked to speak to her, but she was not in.
A while later, Desireè phoned another aunt, Hester Wright, at work. She told her that she had a miscarriage and that she was at the Waterfront in Cape Town.
That is the last the family heard of Desireè.
The sister said a private detective, Wendy Pascoe, is still working on the case.
“She has followed up on all leads, but it’s like Desireè has dropped off the face of the earth. There is no new
ID, no driver’s licence or anything like that.”
Benoni City Times reported in 2017 that a missing person’s docket had been reopened at the Benoni
Police Station.
This was due to the efforts of the South African Community Crime Watch. The Advertiser is still awaiting
comment from the police.
“I believe my mom has been affected the most by this ordeal. She has suffered from breast cancer and has been battling mental health issues because of the pain.
“My husband and children have supported us so much, even though they never really knew Desireè,” said Janetta.
“Some days it feels like she is not with us anymore. We will not be able to accept the loss without proof. I think it will be the most wonderful thing if we could see her again.”
Also Read: Do you know this woman? Her family has been searching for her since 2001
Also Read: Report a missing person immediately
