Honeydew family seeks help in finding missing mother of two children

The family of Zanele Charmaine Maphumulo of Honeydew in northwestern Johannesburg, has appealed to the public for help in finding her.

Maphumulo, 32, has been missing since Saturday, September 12.

“Zanele left home at approximately 1.40pm on Saturday. She walked from home and was wearing a white floral shirt, black pants and flip-flops,” the family said in a statement.

Her sister, Bongiwe Maphumulo, said earlier on Saturday she and Zanele had been at church together.

“When we returned home, she received a call from her boyfriend, who kept asking her when she was coming over. She initially told him that she could not speak because she was in the car with me. He continued insisting, and she eventually said, ‘I will see if I can come’.”

Bongiwe said her sister did not tell her directly that she was going to see her boyfriend.

“However, I could tell from the way she was speaking to him that this was whom she intended to visit. When Zanele speaks to other people, she is normally free and comfortable. When she speaks to him, she becomes cagey.”

Bongiwe said the family believes Zanele reached her destination, because her last communication with her was a message saying: “Dadewethu lomuntu uyahlanya, he won’t let me go and ungiphuce iPhone.” (My sister, this person is crazy, he won’t let me go and he took my iPhone.)

Bongiwe said Zanele did not communicate with the family after that.

“At the time, I did not immediately become alarmed because I believed she was visiting someone nearby and expected her to return. I thought she would be back. When she did not return, I became increasingly concerned and reported her missing to the police on Monday.”

Bongiwe said she had tried to contact her on her phone. “Initially, my messages were not being delivered. On Monday afternoon, they showed as delivered and read, but Zanele did not respond.”

She said this was the first time Zanele had gone missing.

“Our greatest concern now is for her safety. Given the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the fact that we have had no direct communication from her, we are extremely worried about what may have happened to her.”

Bongiwe said the family was devastated. “Her mother is traumatised, and we are struggling with the uncertainty of not knowing where she is or whether she is safe. Most importantly, Zanele is a mother of two children.”

The family urged anyone who may have seen Zanele, spoken to her, received information about her whereabouts, or knows anything that could help find her to contact Det Hlongwane at Honeydew Police Station (082 769 2224), Crime Stop (08600 10111) or The Pink Ladies (072 214 7439 via WhatsApp).