Maggie Kamfer is seeking answers from Kraaifontein police following the disappearance of her mentally ill son who was arrested, but without her being informed for nearly three weeks.
Ms Kamfer reported her 31-year-old son Wayne Kamfer missing on Thursday March 14 after she asked him to get bread at a tuck shop just around the corner from their home in First Avenue, Scottsdene (“Police search for missing Kraaifontein man”, Northern News, April 3).
Wayne did not return home by the time it was getting dark and Ms Kamfer became worried. She said Wayne’s 11-year-old daughter was also worried and did not enjoy much of her school holidays at the time.
She said on Tuesday April 2, she received a call from Goodwood Correctional Services where she heard her son’s voice for the first time since he disappeared.
“I was so happy to hear that he was alive even though he was in jail,” she said.
According to her, police had arrested Wayne on the same day of his disappearance for shoplifting at a supermarket in Van Riebeeck Road in Kraaifontein.
“I walked to the police station on four occasions to find out if they have any information about my son but every time they turned me away and I continued to worry.”
She admitted that Wayne had been arrested for property damage before and gave police a fake name but said the police were familiar with him and should have told her that he was arrested.
“I would have appreciated it, if they could just tell me that he was arrested. I thought of the worst scenarios but I am glad he is alive and I pray that he will be safe in jail because that is not a place to be,” she said.
Kraaifontein police spokesperson, Captain Hein Hendricks, confirmed the arrest and said Wayne provided a false name at the time until he appeared in court on two occasions.
“He was arrested for shoplifting and appeared under that false name at Kuils River Magistrate’s Court the next day. He then appeared for a second time at the same court on Thursday March 18 for a bail application but was denied because he lied,” said Captain Hendricks.
He said Wayne is currently being kept at Goodwood Correctional Services until his next court appearance tomorrow, Thursday April 11.
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