Jun 03, 2025 MISA, Motor Industry Staff Association, Martle Keyter, Amahle Thabethe
MISA comment - Vanished without a trace
It has been six years since Amahle Thabethe vanished without a trace, but her mother and grandfather believes that she is still alive. “There just has to be someone, somewhere who saw her, knows what happened to her after a man took her with him to give him directions,” says her mother Nokulunga Nkosi (40).
The little girl disappeared in Tsakane, Brakpan on 6 April 2019 when she was only 6-years old. Despite a R50 000 reward from the South African Police Service (SAPS), no information has been forthcoming. In January this year the SAPS sent an SMS to Nkosi informing her that this docket is now closed until the police receives new information.
MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, spoke to Nkosi as part of the Union’s awareness campaign against child trafficking during Child Protection Week. Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations, appeals to anyone with information to come forward.
According to the United Nations child trafficking globally is an underreported crime, but there is a growing number of cases in Southern African countries, especially where children are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation (47%), forced labour (35%) and other types of exploitation (18%). Traffickers have strong community networks. More than half of the child victims reported the involvement of friends and families in their recruitment into trafficking. False promises were the most common means of control reported by children (58.9%).
Amahle was lured to walk with a stranger to give him directions in return for sweets.
“I can’t begin to tell you how I feel every day when I wake up, every time that I see a learner in Grade 9, the same age as she is. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her,” says Nkosi, a Carpenter suffering from depression since her daughter was kidnapped. She would find closure if she knew Amahle was dead. Until then, she pleads that the person who took her daughter, returns her to them. “So many people approach me with empty promises. I have so many regrets. I should never have allowed her to play at the neighbour’s house back then. “My advice to parents is to never let your child out of your sight. We are living in a very cruel world.”
According to Thomas Nkosi (77), Amahle’s grandfather, her disappearance affected his health too. “We are a very close family. I am stressed. She was such a blessing in our lives and we just want her back.” He continues to pray for God to intervene. “God is existing and nothing is impossible for Him. I pray that God will intervene and bring Amahle back to us,” he says.
Missing Children South Africa estimates that 77% of missing children are found, and 23% remain missing or are found dead. In May 2025, the SAPS reported that over the past five years, it had reunited 2 963 missing children with their families, 1 919 of whom were female and 967 male.
Anyone with information about Amahle must please contact the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111.
Issued by Sonja Carstens, Manager of MISA's Media & Communication Department, on behalf of the Union.
For more information contact Carstens on 082 463 6806
or email Sonja.Carstens@ms.org.za.
Jun 18, 2025 0
Jun 17, 2025 0