Plea to help find young woman

An East London family is desperately searching for a young woman who disappeared a week ago.

Athenkosi Dyani, 22, from Highway Gardens in Amalinda, was reported missing to the police when she did not return home last Tuesday after allegedly meeting a new boyfriend for lunch.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, older sister Nolonwabo Cengani said: “She looked happy and we were also happy for her as she recently lost her first boyfriend who committed suicide.

“We were happy that she has moved on but now we can’t find her.”

East London police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said Dyani had been missing since January 5.

“We can confirm that there’s a missing person docket that has been opened by police. There are no reports that she has been found,” said Tana.

On December 31, Dyani told her family that she had met someone new and had spent some time with him.

“She came back home and on January 5 she told us that she had visited him again. I sent her a text message, she read it but never responded,” said Cengani.

“The next thing her phone was off and until today, we haven’t heard from her.”

Cengani said she went to meet the man her sister had claimed to be seeing, but he apparently told her that they were not romantically involved.

“He said what she told us was a lie that they were dating.

“I was left confused,” said Cengani.

The family has searched for her at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital and Frere Hospital, without any luck.

Dyani’s friends have also posted her pictures on their Facebook pages.

“We appeal to anyone who can assist in finding my sister to let us know or contact the police,” said Cengani.

She could not say what Dyani was wearing before her disappearance.

Cengani can be contacted on 073-234-7015.