More missing persons despite months of lockdown

The reports of missing people including missing children have increased dramatically despite being in a national lockdown for more than a year.

Baby Ivakele Xolose, from the Western Cape, was reported missing on Monday and found dead on Tuesday.

A Johannesburg woman, Yolandi Botes, also went missing at the end of last month when she took an Uber and her body was discovered in the Vaal River at the beginning of this month.

Jacs Thomas, co-founder and director at Pink Ladies, which keeps a database of missing people, said missing cases across South Africa have exploded.

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“There are so many cases daily that we have to pick and choose which ones are the most urgent,” Thomas said.

She added that suicide and depression cases have also risen, especially among adults.

Thomas said people involved in civil disputes forget you cannot kidnap your child, so it was not registered as missing. She also said a lot of people go missing due to addiction.

“We have to attend to the younger, more vulnerable children and the elderly who are unable to fend for themselves.”

Thomas said they took into account a lot of things such as the circumstance and if the person left on their own accord.

National Co-ordination for Missing Children South Africa spokeswoman Bianca van Aswegen said children going missing in South Africa had always been a major problem.

“As an organisation, we see an increase in cases yearly. Lockdown did have an impact in the beginning with us seeing a decrease in cases but, unfortunately, with lockdown restrictions being lifted, a definite increase of cases can be seen,” Van Aswegen said.