The family of missing journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli hope they will be found alive.
Their renewed hope comes after the deputy minister in the presidency, Kenny Morolong, visited the family at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga on Sunday to offer support and solidarity.
“I still have hope that they are out there and they will find them, and they will find them alive. I still have that hope, and I still have the trust in God,” said Mdhuli's sister and spokesperson for the two families, Lillian Mokgala.
The pair have been missing for close to two months. They were reported missing on February 18. They were last seen in separate locations — Mdhluli at their home in KwaMhlanga and Ndlovu leaving his workplace at Capital FM Live in Mamelodi.
It's taking our strength, sometimes you feel like you are crazy.
— Lillian Mokgala
Mokgala said they have placed their trust in God.
If the couple could hear them wherever they were, Mokgala said: “Give us a sign. Just give us a sign and show us where you are. A sign — that's all we need. We'll come and take you,” she said.
She said their disappearance has brought difficult times to the families.
“It is difficult every day. You ask yourself a lot of questions with no answers, and it's draining. It's taking our strength, sometimes you feel like you are crazy. That's how we feel, and you can't concentrate. It's killing us, slowly but surely as a family. It's destroying us not knowing where they are, not knowing what is happening — this case is difficult. It's really difficult not knowing where they are, not finding even a clue,” she said.
She is hopeful that the deputy minister and other stakeholders will work hard to find them.
“We are so grateful for what the minister has done, even both the brigadiers from Gauteng and Mpumalanga were here. The media is here, friends and family, they are here just to support us and to to give us that hope that they are working on this case and to give us strength so that we don't lose hope,” Mokgala said.
The National Press Club (NPC) and the African Media and Communicators Forum (AMCF) have increased the reward to help find the missing couple from R50,000 to R100,000.
AMCF chairperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “We were furnished with the contents of a confidential report, it is clear that a lot of work has been done. We have a feeling that a breakthrough is imminent. To support the investigation, we have increased the reward from R50,000 to R100,000. Now that a communication channel between all stakeholders has been established, we are looking forward to a breakthrough in this case.”
An interprovincial task team of the South African Police Service has been established to consolidate and expedite the investigations into the couple’s disappearance.
Morolong said he was encouraged by the reports being received.
“Sometimes the silence works against the police, but we wish to urge you to update, even on a high level, so that the families can be at ease. Our brother and sister must be found alive,” he said.
He emphasised that the police needed to win the confidence of the public by communicating on a regular basis, especially on complex investigations such as this one.
Mayor of the Thembisile Hani district municipality Jacob Dikgale said the report indicated that a lot of work had been done and he believed this would restore public confidence in the police.
The AMCF and NPC have urged the public to keep an eye out for the missing couple and to immediately contact the police with any information to help with the investigation.
“We are humbled by the immediate response to our letter from the national police commissioner, in which we requested his intervention. We are also encouraged by the interest shown by premiers in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, respectively,” said the chairperson of the NPC Antoinette Slabbert.
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