Three of the five missing Kuils River teens were reportedly found yesterday, just before this edition of the Northern News went to print. Rumours that a fourth had also been found was doing the rounds on Facebook but was unconfirmed by police.
News of the girls’ disappearance, within days of each other last week caused fear and paranoia in the community as the Facebook posts by the Pink Ladies’ Organisation for Missing Minors went viral.
Chandré Snyman, 16, from Kuils River, was the first to disappear and the first to be found. She was missing for more than a week but uncomfirmed posts on Facebook claim that her disappearance was voluntary.
Chandré disappeared from Labori High School in Paarl on Monday February 27, at 11am. Although she was among the first to go missing, news of her disappearance was only posted on the Pink Ladies’ Facebook page on Monday March 6.
Early yesterday morning, Wou-ter Bul Joubert shared a photo of a Facebook post, reportedly by Chandré’s mother, on which the teenager herself had rudely commented.
Mr Joubert said: “I’m a bit confused… the missing girl is clearly commenting on the posts of her mother looking for her. She also doesn’t sound very friendly. Maybe the situation is a bit more complicated.”
In the post Amilia Jonas, said she was Chandré’s mother and that the girl’s disappearance might have been by choice. She then says that Chandré was last seen driving in a white Golf to which someone identifying herself Chandré replies: “ek was nie in * f***** wit Golf nie… hou op julle eie afleidings maak en hou op julle veite by verkeerde mense kry.”
Ms Jonas then appealled to her to not throw her life away.
The Northern News could not confirm whether the posts were indeed by the mother and daughter or fake accounts.
Later the day same the Pink Ladies posted a notice on Facebook saying that Chandré had been found. Police had not confirmed this by the time the Northern News went to print last night.
On Wednesday March 1, friends Nayoca Plato, 17, and Robin van Leeve, 19, vanished.
The Pink Ladies posted yesterday afternoon that both girls had been found. Kuils River Community Police Forum chairman Riedwaan Daniels confirmed that it was true.
The news of Robin and Nayoca’s disappearance were the first to be reported on the Pink Ladies’ Facebook page last week. When the news that another girl, Macaela du Preez,17, went missing a day after Robin and Nayoca, on Thursday March 2, the community became panicked. Many took to Facebook to voice their concerns.
Macaela, went missing while on her way to school in Bellville. She was last seen at her home in Kensington Cresent, Highbury, at 7.30am. She was wearing blue jeans, an orange vest and black pumps.
Writing on the Kuils River Community Facebook page, community activist Dawn Roode noted that a fifth girl, Chumisa Fatyela, 15, had been missing since August last year.
Chumisa, was last seen at her home on Sunday August 28, at 9am.
“It’s becoming so dangerous for our girls because they trust easily and think everyone are their friends that they meet but then these ‘friends’ have other evil motives,” Ms Roode said.
Tony Brancart said: “What’s going on in Kuils River. Four girls missing in two weeks?”
Haamidah Muhammad said: “This is making me very, very scared for my daughters and neighbours’ daughters. I already drop and pick them up myself to and from school. Never letting them walk alone. Now they won’t leave the house unaccompanied. I’m sorry, I just can’t imagine what these parents must be going through. I’m very, very scared now.”
Porche Grove said: “Oh no! Another teenage girl, a day after two teens went missing in Kuils River. God, please keep our children safe! Amen.”
Lesley-Ann Maart asked: “Why are all these beautiful young girls all disappearing. There has to be some syndicate going. This makes me soooo paranoid. God, please protect our children.”
Gillian Engelbrecht pointed out that a girl from Kensington had gone missing at about the same time.
“So many girls went missing around 1 and 2 March not just from Kuils River but Kensington as well. What is so significant about those days?”
Ms Engelbrecht was referring to Kelly-Ann Gopal, 17, of Kensington. Kelly was last seen at 13th Avenue, Kensington, at 5pm. She was wearing a white blouse, blue jeans and white takkies and carrying a Pink Nike bag.
Provincial police spokeswoman Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said the investigation is ongoing.
“This office has not identified any syndicate at this stage.”
If you have any information about Kelly-Ann’s disappearance, call Constable Claudine Paulse at 021 594 7020. If you have any information about Chumisa or Machaela’s disappearances, contact Sergeant Andries Binedell at 021 900 2845.
