Two missing girls found

AS THE school holidays get underway, community-based organisation Ilitha Labantu has urged parents and caregivers to remain vigilant following two separate incidents involving missing children in Cape Town.

The minors, a six-year-old girl from Marikana informal settlement in Philippi East and an eleven-year-old girl from Delft, were both found safe after going missing over the weekend.

Although both children were later located, Ilitha Labantu said the cases highlight persistent concerns around child safety and supervision, particularly during school holiday periods.

Spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said: “These cases highlight persistent challenges in ensuring the safety and protection of children, particularly during school holiday periods when regular supervision structures are often disrupted.”

In the first case, a six-year-old girl was last seen playing with friends around 4pm on Saturday.

Her mother said she was found on Tuesday morning by a woman living in Lower Crossroads.

“She said she found my daughter around 8pm, she claimed she looked for me, and then when they couldn’t find me, she took her to her house,” the mother said.

“She brought her back on Tuesday, I’m just happy that my daughter is back home with me.”

In a separate incident, an 11-year-old girl who had gone to visit her father in Roosendal was also reported missing.

“She visited her father on Sunday and left the house around 3pm. We didn’t know that she left him, we thought she was sleeping over there, and when her father called and asked for her, we were shocked,” her mother explained.

“We started looking for her the whole night, and only on Tuesday morning, her aunt said she had her with her.”

Monakali noted that while the outcomes were ultimately positive, the emotional distress experienced by the families and the mobilisation of community resources reflected “avoidable gaps in communication and coordination”.

“South Africa continues to face a high prevalence of missing children, and many cases do not end safely,” said Monakali.

“According to Missing Children South Africa, an average of 1 697 children are reported missing every year, underscoring the urgent need for consistent and proactive measures to safeguard their well-being.”