Johannesburg - The mother of an 8-year-old Thinasonke Extension 4 boy who was reported missing on October 31 and later found near Phola Pak is frantically searching once more for her child, who went missing again on Wednesday.
Last time around, the boy, Bomi Dambuza, went missing on October 31 and was found in a house near Phola Park in Thokoza following a message from an alleged kidnapper who told the mother to do as she was told if she wanted to see her son alive.
Yesterday, Thokozile Dambuza was joined by members of the Thinasonke community as they went around the area in search of Bomi.
She said that the previous time she filed a missing person’s report, which was later withdrawn after Bomi was found. She said now she fears the worst, as this is the second incident in which her son has allegedly been kidnapped.
The Star has seen the message, which reads: “If you want your son, you will do whatever I say right now. Do not call me; I will call you.”
Members of the community have joined her in her frantic search and are going from house to house looking for clues and information that might lead to his successful recovery.
A community member who contacted The Star confirmed the WhatsApp message sent to the mother of the boy.
“We have joined the search for the young boy as members of the community because this is not the first time he was kidnapped. He was taken on October 31, 2022, and was later found at Phola Park. The police found the boy after the mother received a message saying she must do as they say.
“The police came and went to an address given by the mother and did not find anything, but the boy was later recovered next to Phola Park. Now the child has gone missing again, and we now fear that he has been taken again. We called the police, and searched the same house we suspected the kidnapper to reside in, but the police did not question the suspect. Now we do not know what to do,” the community member said.
A tearful Dambuza said she doesn’t know what else to do to recover her lost son. She said she has reported the incident again, but time is not on her side.
“I have reported the matter to the police because this is not the first time my son has gone missing. We were lucky the first time that we found him. He even reported that someone has been following him, pointing at him, and intimidating him. I reported this to the police, but nothing has been done. I even opened a case of kidnapping,” Dambuza said.
Following the first incident, a spokesperson for Brackendowns SAPS Warrant Officer Gerhard Cornelius said on November 1 that members of the public alerted SAPS and Brackendowns CPF to the possible whereabouts of the boy.
“The information was followed up, and the boy was in fact found at a house where he was kept safe by residents of Thokoza,” he said.
The Star