When Nobusile Ndziweni burst out laughing at one of her 18-year-old granddaughter’s jokes six weeks ago, she had no idea it would be the last time she would see that lovely face.
Minutes later, Grade 12 pupil Bongeka Zondi vanished without a trace. Nearly two months later, she still has not been found.
And while everyone is feeling the festive cheer, Ndziweni, a pensioner from Gqaqhala village in Ugie, has just one wish: to have her beloved Bongeka back.
But she admitted during an emotional telephonic interview with the Daily Dispatch that she had all but given up hope of seeing her alive.
“Whoever took her must just give me back her bones so that I can bury her in peace,” said the 60-year-old.
She said Zondi had just arrived home from Nombewu Senior Secondary School, where she was studying, when she disappeared on November 4.
“It was 2.40pm when she came back from school with her older sister Zintle, who is also doing Grade 12. She found me sitting on the bed and her six-year-old cousin washing the dishes.
“She did not enter, just cracked a joke about the scenario in front of her eyes while standing in the doorway. She then went out.”
That was the last time. When the teenager did not return, her grandmother became worried and asked Zintle about her whereabouts.
She was told Zondi had gone to a nearby flat to see her boyfriend, who was employed as a cattle herder in one of the rural homesteads.
“I did not panic because I knew that she sometimes slept at his place, but then she failed to show up the following morning to prepare for school.”
Ndziweni said she approached the boyfriend, but he denied Zondi had been at his flat or that he knew where she was.
The boyfriend is alleged to have also disappeared after being confronted by Ndziweni.
After a search for two days yielded no positive results, the family decided to report the matter to the police.
Elliot cluster police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Nozuko Handile confirmed a missing person case had been opened by police in Ugie.
She said police were now trying to track down the boyfriend.
“We think he can help us with finding her ,” she said.
Ndziweni said she was distraught and full of pain at the disappearance of her granddaughter.
- The man had been swimming with friends as they were enjoying an end of the year party when he disappeared.
Since Sunday the police K9 unit and other units have searched for him without success.
A police source said the search was still continuing. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Matric girl missing for weeks
Minutes later, Grade 12 pupil Bongeka Zondi vanished without a trace. Nearly two months later, she still has not been found.
And while everyone is feeling the festive cheer, Ndziweni, a pensioner from Gqaqhala village in Ugie, has just one wish: to have her beloved Bongeka back.
But she admitted during an emotional telephonic interview with the Daily Dispatch that she had all but given up hope of seeing her alive.
“Whoever took her must just give me back her bones so that I can bury her in peace,” said the 60-year-old.
She said Zondi had just arrived home from Nombewu Senior Secondary School, where she was studying, when she disappeared on November 4.
“It was 2.40pm when she came back from school with her older sister Zintle, who is also doing Grade 12. She found me sitting on the bed and her six-year-old cousin washing the dishes.
“She did not enter, just cracked a joke about the scenario in front of her eyes while standing in the doorway. She then went out.”
That was the last time. When the teenager did not return, her grandmother became worried and asked Zintle about her whereabouts.
She was told Zondi had gone to a nearby flat to see her boyfriend, who was employed as a cattle herder in one of the rural homesteads.
“I did not panic because I knew that she sometimes slept at his place, but then she failed to show up the following morning to prepare for school.”
Ndziweni said she approached the boyfriend, but he denied Zondi had been at his flat or that he knew where she was.
The boyfriend is alleged to have also disappeared after being confronted by Ndziweni.
After a search for two days yielded no positive results, the family decided to report the matter to the police.
Elliot cluster police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Nozuko Handile confirmed a missing person case had been opened by police in Ugie.
She said police were now trying to track down the boyfriend.
“We think he can help us with finding her ,” she said.
Ndziweni said she was distraught and full of pain at the disappearance of her granddaughter.
Since Sunday the police K9 unit and other units have searched for him without success.
A police source said the search was still continuing. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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