Brother of the homeless man got chills when he saw his brother on the front page of the News.
The homeless man, Valie, has not been seen in Krugersdorp again after spending a night in the Tower of Life Shelter.
Cold chills rushed through Ben de Beer’s body after he saw the front page story in the 6 November edition of the News of a mute homeless man.
The story went as far as Cape Town and reached Ben’s other brother who contacted him late one evening to send a photo via Whatsapp.
“I had to look twice, but when I saw the second photo published on Facebook, I got chills over my body. The mute homeless man is my brother,” Ben told the News in an interview.
Ben, who currently resides in Westonaria, has since the articles of the homeless man with his broom and the blanket were published, been driving up and down the Krugersdorp streets in search of his brother.
He immediately drove to the Tower of Life Shelter in search of his brother, but with no luck.
Next he went to the informal settlement in Munsieville, but left disappointed as the man was nowhere to be found.
“His name is William John Edward de Beer. But everyone knew him as Valie.”
Valie, aged in his 50’s, went missing 12 years ago from his brother’s house in Witpoortjie.
One of his six brothers claim that his hands are identical to his other two brothers’ hands.
Four of the six brothers also have the same striking blue eyes as the homeless man photographed by the News.
“The way he sits in that photo, I am 100 percent sure that he is my brother,” said a teary-eyed Ben who is desperately looking for him.
The mute homeless man who travels around with a broom and a blanket.
The family first anticipated that Valie went back to Malawi, after separating from his wife with whom he had two boys.
“There is just something that tells me that this is our Valie. My wife knew when she read about the broom. Valie was very neat and she remembers him always sweeping.”
After the passing of their mother four years ago, Valie made brief contact with one of the brothers, but it quickly led to a dead end.
“Just the thought of him still being alive, keeps me up at night. I lie awake and wonder where he sleeps and what he eats. How do you find someone like that in a big town like Krugersdorp?”
According to Ben, Valie is a qualified diesel mechanic who earned a good salary before his mysterious disappearance years ago.
“If I can just find him, I will take him in and help him.Where do you start looking?”
Ben claims that Valie can be identified with a scar on his stomach from an operation he underwent years ago.
If anyone spots the homeless man with a broom and the blanket, known as Valie, contact Ben on 076 553 1344 urgently.
