“TO GET that phone call as a mother is not an easy phone call, to hear the words that your son was abducted.”
Mitchells Plain mom Chantel Gibson said at about 8.35am on 2 June, her son, Seth, went to a winkel on the corner of Merrydale and Spine Roads om die draai van sy skool.
She said as he walked back from the shop to school two manne pulled him into a vehicle that was standing at the robot.
Gibson explains: “They asked him for money or whatever he has on him, he said he had nothing on him and they wanted to take his shoes off his feet, but he was fighting them off.
“One guy was driving and the other was sitting at the back holding him and my son said they just suddenly stopped the car and pushed him out on Baden Powell Drive.”
She said she had received several missed calls from the school that morning, however she was not at her desk when the calls came through.
Gibson recalls: “The first words they said were ‘Good morning. Are you Seth’s mom.’ I said yes and they said ‘I want you to stay calm, but Seth was abducted, but he is OK. He was found’.”
Her manager and colleagues prayed with her and took her to the school to fetch her son. But while on the road she said her mind was spiralling with many thoughts including that they might have mistaken her son for her daughter who attends the same school.
She also wondered if her daughter was aware of the incident.
Gibson stated: “A lot of things run through your mind as a parent. What did the people do to my son? Why my son? Why must I be the parent to get such a phone call? I am so grateful for the protection over my son on that day. His favourite Bible verse is that God will be with you.”
When she arrived at the school and spoke to Seth, she said his hands were ice cold and he questioned why they had to go to the police station. But she reassured him that he is safe despite thoughts that he could have been taken away.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said: “Mitchells Plain SAPS are investigating a case of abduction.”
Gibson added that she was grateful to the woman who helped up her son as there were many vehicles who drove by, adding: “It could have been so different, he could have been hurt, he could have been lying there. I just want to make parents aware to please speak to their children and make them aware of their surroundings.”