Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe has issued a stern warning against the circulation of false information regarding the disappearance of two-year-old Omphile Sethole.
This comes after a surge of social media posts claiming that the toddler had been found deceased. Hadebe dismissed these reports as untrue, emphasising that such misinformation causes unnecessary distress to the family while the search for Omphile remains active and ongoing.
“The sharing of false reports on social media is not only irresponsible but also criminal,” Hadebe said. “It creates panic and diverts public attention from the real facts. I urge all members of the public to refrain from posting or sharing unverified information about this sensitive case. Our team is working tirelessly to unmask the suspect behind this senseless crime targeting our children.”
Omphile disappeared from her home in Ga-Mabuela village during the early hours of Saturday morning. The toddler was allegedly snatched from her grandmother’s bed; the grandmother had briefly left the room to use the bathroom, only to return and find the child gone and a window open.
A case of housebreaking has been opened. The South African Police Service appealed to the community to continue helping with the search and provide credible information that could lead to the child’s safe return.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Omphile is urgently requested to contact the investigating officer Sgt Moshe Mashaba, or the nearest police station.
TimesLIVE
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