Ongeziwe, a student at Fezeka Secondary School, was last seen by her mother on Saturday, 17 February, when she returned home from extra classes.
According to Fanti, her daughter typically walks to school, a 40-minute journey from their home.
Expressing her worry to News24, Fanti recounted the past week: ‘I am extremely worried that my child has not yet returned home. I fear that something may have happened to her.’
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Despite efforts to locate her daughter, including calls to her cellphone, which have gone unanswered, Ongeziwe remains missing.
‘We are so worried about her. This is the first time my child has disappeared and hasn’t let me know where she is. My heart is aching because children are getting trafficked and sold off. I have hopes that she will be found, but as a mother, I also have fears.’
A missing persons case has been opened at the local police station and authorities are actively investigating Ongeziwe’s disappearance. Community members have also joined the search efforts.
Bronagh Hammond, a spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department, clarified that the incident was not school-related, emphasising the school’s unawareness of any tensions preceding Ongeziwe’s disappearance.