Siphelele Nketo
FEAR and devastation have dominated the community of the Marikana informal settlement in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, as they request further assistance in addressing the ongoing issue of missing children in the area.
This comes after two children went missing in the same area. Ndalo Jona (7) was reported missing on Sunday, July 12, wearing grey tracksuit pants and a dark pink jersey. Lathitha Mtolo (7) was also reported missing on February 26 after she left home to play with other children. Her family noticed her disappearance at around 7pm when she failed to return home.
A human skull that was found in March was confirmed as Lathitha’s remains according to a police report last month, and the case was changed from missing to murder. But Lathitha’s family questioned the accuracy of the police findings and further announced that they would seek private DNA testing.
One of the community members concerned about the missing children in Marikana was Khanyisile Zinkabi who said that since she arrived in Marikana in 2014 until recently, no child was reported missing.
“Lathitha was the first child to go missing in February with no trace. The missing incident of Ndalo has raised so many questions as to why children are targeted in the area,” she said.
She even suggested a mobile police station in the area. Other community members blamed the police for not doing enough to search for the missing children, saying police delayed their search operations. They said police need to act immediately using detection dogs if a child is reported missing. A concerned resident of Kokstad, Zizipho Nogwaza, said incidents of missing children in Marikana require a serious intervention, suggesting the formation of safety forums that will be equipped with resources to conduct patrols and work with SAPS.
“The recent cases of missing children are deeply concerning, and Marikana should be treated as a priority area for focused intervention. I believe it is important for law enforcement agencies to give this area attention and strengthen efforts to keep children safe,” he stated.
Police called for anyone with information about the missing children to contact the authorities.
