IT’S been a month since three-year-old Sphesihle Dlamini from Amandawe in the Ixopo area went missing with no trace of her whereabouts.
After receiving no commitment from the local police, a group of women got together and raised funds for the family to hire Hillcrest private investigator, Brad Nathanson to assist.
Sphe went missing from a church on New Year’s Eve.
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Her devastated mom, Thabsile told the Highway Mail that they were at a church service when Sphe, who is her only child, went missing.
“I was invited to attend the service. I have never attended that church before. When the service was about to finish, new people were called in the front to be introduced. I left Sphe with my handbag where we were sitting.”
Thabsile said they were not at the front of the church for more than 10 minutes.
“When I came back, my bag was lying there and my child was nowhere to be seen.”
“I went with my aunt to look for her in the toilets, she was not there, went around the church premises but there was still no trace of her,” said Thabsile.
What confuses the family now is that when they were busy looking for Sphe, a child whom Thabsile said she has never seen before, approached her and said she saw her child leaving with her two aunts.
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“She got into the car and took us to her home. When we got there, we were told that they did see Sphe. They bought her chips and told her to go back inside the church.
“When we came back with the police, they changed their story and denied ever talking to us,” she said.
Sphe’s mom appealed to anyone who have any information about her child to come forward.
“I have so many thoughts about my child, it really hurts. I really hope that my child is still alive.”
“Who ever took her, I plead with you from the bottom of my heart to return her. We have had so many deaths in this family and even my aunt who was helping me look for Sphe at the church passed away last week. Getting Sphe in one piece will really heal us,” she said.
Sphe was wearing a pink and white striped dress and white pumps when she went missing.
Anyone who may have information can contact Brad’s office on 078 421 9167, email esme@bradnathanson.co.za or call the Umzinto family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit detectives on 062 772 8943.
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