A massive search has been launched for a Primrose Park mom who went missing without a trace while leaving work on Monday.
Pleas for help from the family of Shireen Essop, 32, have gone viral on social media.
According to a Daily Voice source, the mom who works as a manager at Dairy Mart in Philippi, was abducted after leaving work in her white Toyota Quest along Varkensvlei Road.
“She is the manager at Dairy Mart and left at 1.30pm and drove down Varkensvlei Road.
“They said she was on the phone with her mother and told her: ‘Mommy, they’re taking me’.”
The source said it was also not clear if Shireen was hijacked or how they got her to stop her car because there are no stop streets in that area, and only one robot intersection under the bridge along Jakes Gerwel Drive.
He says Shireen’s brother and husband found the car in Philippi, but it is unclear how they traced the vehicle.
“They found the car within minutes (after the phone call) but she was gone. They called her iPhone but it was already off.
“There was a call from an alleged kidnapper saying they would ask for a ransom but it was never verified as the actual kidnapper.”
It was not clear on Monday whether the family had received a ransom demand.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, confirms the case and says: “This office can confirm that police are searching for a 32-year-old female who went missing at about 2pm. The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.”
While her family has declined to comment, social media posts by concerned members of the public have called for mense to not share fake news, amid rumours that Shireen was found on Monday.
Advocate Councillor Shameemah Dollie Salie posted on the Daily Voice Facebook page: “Our current challenge is controlling social media reports WRT (with regards to) false information which is also being widely spread on several platforms.
“We urge you to please refrain from posting or sharing any posts that Shireen is ‘FOUND’ without confirming with anyone tagged in this post. If you do come across something, please notify us and share the person’s name, surname and social media platform so that we can reach out to them to delete until she is confirmed found.”
The mother of a two-year-old boy was last seen wearing black pants and a mustard-coloured top.
She is 1.65 metres tall and of medium build.
Contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 with information.