ANDILE MOSHOESHOE
DESPITE Lathitha Mtolo (7) being missing from the informal settlement of Marikana, Kokstad, since February 26, the clothes she was last seen wearing have been found, according to her mother, Nandipha.
The devastated Nandipha recalled that Lathitha disappeared wearing floral shorts, a shirt and purple flip flops.
She confirmed that she had seen the underwear, shirt and shorts.
“I was taken by the police to identify the clothes that were found. Police revealed to me a black sock, a cream-white shirt, underwear and shorts. I can confirm that the shorts and underwear belong to Lathitha,” she explained, adding that she has no knowledge of the black sock and cream-white shirt.
The clothes were reportedly found near a scene where a human skull was found on March 29.
According to police, the skull was found next to Peter Pearce in Shayamoya by a community member who went to relieve himself at approximately 7pm.
The missing Grade 2 pupil of Xolo Xolo Primary School has caused sleepless nights for Nandipha, who also said that she suspects foul play which deliberately misled investigations in the matter.
She called on the police to thoroughly trace individuals who reportedly alerted authorities about the human skull.
She further stated that what makes the matter even more troubling was that the family and search teams had previously combed the very same area where the skull was found, yet nothing was discovered at the time.
“We are pleading with police to use whatever means possible, including taking fingerprints from the recovered clothing, in an effort to establish what really happened to my child,” she said.
The Kokstad police commander Colonel Ralph Ruiters said preliminary observations by investigators suggest that the human skull appears to belong to a teenager, not Lathitha.
“Apparently, the matter remains under investigation and we are still awaiting the DNA results, so there is very little we can say at this stage. The DNA analysis will ultimately determine what may have happened. We are continuing with the investigation, particularly as other items of clothing were also found at the scene, which are reportedly not linked to Lathitha,” said Ruiters.
The disappearance of Lathitha has caused widespread outrage with angry residents taking to the streets in demonstrations that have brought the town to a standstill.
