Two decades have elapsed since six-year-old Asheeqah Noordien mysteriously vanished while playing with friends in Manenberg, a case that has haunted both her family and the community.
However, a flicker of hope has emerged this week as police vow to investigate a fresh lead indicating that Asheeqah may still be living somewhere in Cape Town.
This week, the investigative efforts to uncover Asheeqah’s whereabouts were reignited at the Manenberg police station, where high-ranking officers met with her mother, Naeemah Noordien, and grandmother, Jacqueline Jansen, as reported by Cape Argus.
The meeting took place shortly after Mother’s Day, an event marked by poignant emotions as the family clings to the hope that Asheeqah, now 26, may be alive.
The renewed investigation comes as new information surfaces suggesting that Asheeqah might currently reside in Philippi, an area not far from her point of disappearance. Reports indicate that a potential witness from Manenberg has come forward with claims that Asheeqah is living with an older man in the locality.
The agonising search, which has been ongoing since May 2005, has not been without its trials. Naeemah and Jacqueline have borne the brunt of speculation and unfounded accusations regarding their involvement in Asheeqah’s disappearance, claims they vehemently deny.
As the family prepares for the 20th anniversary of Asheeqah’s disappearance next year, they do so with a glimmer of renewed hope born from this latest development.
The possibility of finding Asheeqah alive is one they embrace, keen not to let the years steal away what little faith they have left.
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Picture: Unsplash
