When children go missing: South Africa’s biggest fear

Missing children is a realistic fear for South African adults and guardians.

Statistics estimate that a disappearance happens once every few seconds in South Africa. It can happen to anyone, and investigation should be immediate.

A common myth says that a disappearance can’t be investigated until 24 or 48 hours have expired. This is untrue. File a report immediately if someone has gone missing or disappeared.

What should you do?

How safe are our children?

Here’s what YOU should know.

When children go missing: South Africa’s biggest fear

A child goes missing every few seconds in South Africa.

It’s a realistic fear for most parents and guardians. A child could walk into the crowd, or be kidnapped by a criminal in seconds.

Would you (or your child) know what to do?

It’s important to teach safety from any age.

Missing children: What to do

SAPS maintains a missing persons list for active cases.

If your child has gone missing, establish their last whereabouts. Call their friends and family. Look in familiar places.

Recall details, like what they were wearing, and have a recent photograph.

Report any missing persons immediately. There’s no waiting period. Contact the South African Police Service immediately.

Children and safety

Teach kids and young adults more about safety.

Does your family have an action plan? Learn important numbers, like home phones and SAPS (112). Know where to find a police station, and always have money for at least one taxi.

Travel in groups, and know where security cameras are.

Together, we can save South Africa.

South Africa’s famous cases

South Africa’s rainbow nation is tarnished by disappearances, including abductions in the 1970s and 1980s. These cases remain unsolved today.

Nobody wants to become a statistic.

File a report if someone has gone missing.

Together we can beat criminality – and stop our kids going missing.

READ MORE ARTICLES BY FRANCOIS JANSEN (ALEX J COYNE)