A missing Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal boy is thought to have been spotted with his alleged kidnapper in Bloemfontein, the Free State, yesterday.
A couple who were given a lift from Senekal in a vehicle they believe was carrying the man and the boy told the police they had last seen Johannes Reiner de Beer, 24, and Marcel Blandin de Chalain, 12, at the Mimosa Mall, Bloemfontein, at 5pm yesterday.
They said De Beer had told them that he was looking for "foreign car salesmen" because he wanted to swap the bakkie they in which they were travelling for a "lighter car".
Investigating officer Captain Flip Claassen confirmed that footage from a security camera at a Newcastle petrol station showed that Marcel and De Beer were together shortly after the boy was reported missing on Sunday.
Marcel's mother, Adriana Blandin de Chalain, drove to Bethlehem after a reported sighting on Monday night.
"I haven't slept. I haven't eaten. I want my child back," she said.
She cancelled a trip to Bloemfontein yesterday after police assured her a search was under way.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
