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Centurion, South Africa (Al Jazeera) — The desperate search for five-month-old Thandeka Nyamane, missing from her home in Lyttelton’s Fountain squatter camp since September 6, 2025, took a devastating turn.
Police have arrested the infant’s mother and her friend on charges of child neglect, revealing they left two babies unattended while heading to a nearby tavern for drinks. As Thandeka remains missing, the case raises urgent questions about parental responsibility and the dangers lurking in informal settlements.
The arrests occurred on September 10, confirmed Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk. “On Saturday, September 6, the mother and her friend left their two babies alone in a house at Fountain Squatter Camp in Lyttelton, while they went to a nearby tavern to drink beer,” van Dyk stated. The women reportedly took turns checking on the children. When the mother’s turn came, she returned to find Thandeka gone, last seen around 05:00 that morning.
Thandeka, described as a chubby baby with black hair, black eyes, small height, and average weight, was wearing a pink fluffy onesie with a hoodie at the time. The early morning hours in the informal settlement—a maze of makeshift homes with limited security—have complicated the investigation. Van Dyk emphasized that the Pretoria Moot Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit is probing all angles, but the infant’s whereabouts remain unknown.
This revelation shatters the initial image of a frantic mother pleading for help. The Fountain squatter camp, near Centurion’s urban edges, is plagued by poverty and crime, making unsupervised children especially vulnerable. Community members, who rallied with search parties and shared missing posters, expressed outrage. “We searched for days, thinking it was a stranger,” said a local resident, speaking anonymously. “Now this? It’s heartbreaking.”
The arrests highlight broader issues in South Africa’s informal areas, where unemployment exceeds 40% and alcohol abuse contributes to family breakdowns. Similar neglect cases have surfaced in recent years, including a 2024 incident in Soweto where a toddler wandered off during a parental night out. Experts warn that such oversights can lead to abductions or accidents, with the SAPS reporting over 1,000 child missing cases annually in Gauteng alone.
Sergeant Sithole, the lead investigator from the Pretoria Moot FCS Unit, is urging the public to come forward with tips. Contact him at 071 675 7489, or reach community liaison Carina Bam at 071 243 3065. Police stress there’s no waiting period for missing persons reports, emphasizing immediate action.
To aid investigations, authorities recommend:
- Providing a recent photo of the missing person.
- Detailing their last known location, clothing, and any relevant information.
- Completing and signing a SAPS 55(A) form to verify details and protect against hoaxes.
- Sharing the investigator’s contact for updates.
If Thandeka is found, notify the officer promptly to file a SAPS 92 form, removing her from the national missing persons database.
As the mother and friend face charges, the focus remains on finding Thandeka alive. The squatter camp’s residents continue patrols, but hope fades with each passing day. In a community already strained, this case underscores the urgent need for better child protection and support services. Will Thandeka’s disappearance prompt real change, or become another statistic in South Africa’s child welfare crisis?
