zephany nurse

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 15: Morne Nurse and his supporters outside the Western Cape Magistrate Court after sentencing of the woman who kidnapped his child Zephany in 1997 on August 15, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. The woman was sentenced to 10 years in jail. (Photo by Gallo Images / Beeld / Lulama Zenzile)

Zephany Nurse granted permission to reveal her name in upcoming book

Zephany Nurse has been granted permission to reveal the name she was given by her kidnappers.

zephany nurse

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST 15: Morne Nurse and his supporters outside the Western Cape Magistrate Court after sentencing of the woman who kidnapped his child Zephany in 1997 on August 15, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. The woman was sentenced to 10 years in jail. (Photo by Gallo Images / Beeld / Lulama Zenzile)

The story of Zephany Nurse, the woman who, for the most part of her life, was raised by her kidnappers will be told in an upcoming book.

However, a key part of her story would have been left out if the Pretoria High Court had reached a different conclusion on Tuesday.

Who is Zephany Nurse?

Nurse is a 22-year-old that was kidnapped only moments after she was born in 1997. For as long as she’s lived, Nurse identified her kidnappers as her parents, not knowing that out there, she was lost to her biological mother and father, Celeste and Morne Nurse.

A twist of fate resulted in Nurse’s reunification with her real parents, thanks to the nudge her sister had when she befriended Nurse in high school.

For some reason that cannot be explained, Nurse attended the same school as her biological sister. They became friends after comments were constantly made about their resemblances to each other.

On a hunch, the sister convinced Nurse to meet Morne, her father, a moment that changed the Nurses’ lives forever.

Why was Nurse’s name protected from the public?

Nurse was 17 years old, in 2015, when it was discovered that she had been kidnapped. At the time, she had been using a name that was given to her by her kidnappers.

Due to her age, Nurse’s identity was protected under the prescripts of Section 154 {3) of the Criminal Procedure Act which states that:

“No person shall publish information which may reveal the identity of an accused or of a witness at criminal proceedings who is under the age of 18.”

Thus, back then, the Centre for Child Law managed to obtain a court order for the protection of Nurse’s identity. Until now, the only thing anyone knew about the name she was given by her kidnappers were her initials — KL.

Fast forward four years and Nurse, who has been reunited with her family, is ready to reveal her name.

When will Nurse’s book be released?

Fast forward four years and Nurse, who has been reunited with her family, is ready to reveal her name. The 22-year-old inked a publishing deal and is on the verge of releasing her autobiography.

However, its release was dependent on the outcome of her court application to have the veil of protection on her identity lifted. On Tuesday, Judge Peter Mabuse from the Pretoria High Court ordered the protection of Nurse’s identity to be lifted, granting her permission to reveal the name she grew up with, in her upcoming book.

According to a recently published IOL News report, the book will hit the shelves on Friday, 23 August, and in it will be the name everyone has been itching to know.

The woman who kidnapped her is still in prison, serving out her 10-year sentence.