Nine years following the abduction of six-year-old Shasha-Lee November outside her Hanover Park residence, a former senior police officer, her own sibling, and the search party insist that the investigation should have delved deeper into local connections.
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Shasha-Lee vanished under mysterious circumstances on 3 May 2015, from her residence on Groenall Walk.
A vigil was conducted over the weekend to mark the anniversary of her disappearance.
This week, Colonel Dawood Laing, formerly the station commander during Shasha-Lee’s abduction, along with her sister Jasmine Harris and Saafia Samuels, who spearheaded the search efforts, asserted that authorities should have scrutinised individuals closer to the victim’s home, particularly after reports indicated she was last seen in the company of either a known or unknown man.
In a distressing turn of events, Groenall Walk has gained notoriety due to three separate cases of missing young girls, including Shasha-Lee, Sadieka Titus (16), and Michelle Plaatjies (16).
Plaatjies disappeared while residing in Groenall Walk in October 1999.
Titus went missing on 24 March 2013, and her whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
Colonel Laing highlighted several deficiencies in Shasha-Lee’s case, notably the lack of thorough questioning of her parents, Sandra and Calvin November. He drew a comparison to the recent case of Joshlin Smith, where swift action was taken against the mother, Racquel ‘Kelly’ Smith, and her partner, Jacquen ‘Boeta’ Appolis, following her disappearance in Saldanha Bay. Unfortunately, both of Shasha-Lee’s parents have since passed away.
Initially classified as a missing person case, Shasha-Lee’s disappearance was later reclassified as a kidnapping based on witness statements indicating that she was taken away by an unknown individual. Laing emphasised that lessons must be learned from this case, urging law enforcement and support organisations to not solely focus on the missing child but also on the circumstances within the home, which could be crucial in investigations.
He noted that Shasha-Lee’s parents were only thoroughly questioned at a later stage, unlike in the case of Joshlin, where prompt action was taken.
Laing disclosed that both of Shasha-Lee’s parents struggled with drug addiction, and insufficient scrutiny had been directed towards them during the initial stages of the investigation.
In a bid to facilitate the safe return of the child, the City of Cape Town offered a reward of R250 000.
Furthermore, Laing noted critical oversights in the dissemination of information, such as the absence of the detective’s contact number on pamphlets, resulting in potential evidence being overlooked. He also criticised the Department of Social Development for its failure to adequately support and protect the child.
‘Community members stormed to the address of the victim and information was given, of which some never came through to Saps,’ he said.
‘I also think that the Department of Social Development failed her.
‘There were reports to them of child neglect and drug abuse by her parents.
‘Their proper investigation could have prevented this incident.
‘The school also reported behaviour problems to social development and education structures.
‘The school, Belmore Primary, was also helpful with information.’
Harris emphasised her plea for the police to conduct searches nearer to the family residence and opted not to provide additional comments.
Saafia Samuels, formerly associated with G Force and Women 2 Women, who participated in the initial search efforts, stressed the importance of re-examining crucial evidence.
FC van Wyk, a police spokesperson, affirmed that the case remains active and unresolved.
‘Kindly be advised that the matter you are referring to is still under investigation. There are no developments to report to the media at this stage.’
Bianca van Aswegen of Missing Children SA said they continued to share Shasha-Lee’s poster in the hopes that she could be found.
‘We believe all cold cases should not be forgotten and should be revisited,’ she said.
The Department of Social Development announced its intention to investigate allegations of neglect in the case.
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Picture: @SAPoliceService / X