Guesthouse worried about safety of 'missing' waiter who took company vehicle

The Kings Walden Garden Manor guesthouse is searching for one of its waiters who was last seen on Friday night.

Valentine Ramudzuli is believed to have left in a car belonging to the establishment, situated about 12km outside Tzaneen in Limpopo.

“He knocked off duty, took the car and then he went,” owner Bridget Hilton-Barber told TimesLIVE on Monday morning.

It was still unclear why he took the company’s Ford Figo vehicle because it was solely used for business purposes, she said.

Ramudzuli does not have a driver’s license.

He had been working at the guesthouse for about a year, but Hilton-Barber said she had known him his entire life.

“He is somebody I have known his whole life. I have known him since he was born because his mother was employed as a domestic worker for my mother.

“We took him on to give him a chance,” she said.

She said Ramudzuli left his cellphone behind, making communication with him difficult.

His family had also not heard from him.

“There is no way of reaching him, but I have alerted his family and everybody is desperately worried,” said Hilton-Barber.

She said she has alerted police and local security companies to help find Ramudzuli.

Police could not immediately comment.