Disappearance of Granny Khubani remains a mystery

Nearly two months since the mysterious disappearance of Granny Khubani Mkhavele from Chavani village, her family is still frantically searching for her.

The almost 100-year-old granny, known all around as “Nwa Joe,” went missing on 22 October. Shortly before she disappeared, she told her daughter, with whom she was staying at the time, that she was going to check on her own house, which is about five kilometres from where her daughter lives. She has not been seen or heard of since, leaving the family with deep concern for her safety.

The family spokesperson, Ms Cate Maluleke, said they were devastated and riddled with unanswered questions. “What could be happening to her? She is almost 100 years old and has her own house in the village. We took her to stay with her daughter in another part of the village to ensure that she gets regular meals. Now and then she would insist on visiting her house and sometimes even sleep there. Safety was not an issue as everyone in the village cares for each other. Neighbours and a relative who passed by the house confirmed that she had been at the house.”

Maluleke said the family became worried after she was discovered to be missing. “On 24 October, we reported her missing at the Chavani traditional offices before reporting it to the Waterval Police. We had hoped the community would help us look for her, as it is done in other cases and other villages, but this was not done. We were told that she was due on some of the village contributions. Even with the police, we had to go and beg them to assist us in searching for her. Having to cope with a missing relative and not getting any help from the police or the community is just too much. We have searched everywhere. Something is not adding up here. If it was a normal disappearance, we would have heard something about her by now. We are in a state of helplessness as a family, not knowing where she is and whether she is still alive or not. Our wish is that we find her alive and safe,” she said.

The spokesperson for the Vhembe SAPS, W/O Vuledzani Dathi, confirmed that a missing-person docket has been opened, following the disappearance of the granny. “We are appealing to community members who might have information that could help us in reuniting her with her family to come forth. All the information could be communicated by contacting the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111, the nearest police station, or reporting it via the MySAPSApp,” he said.

Ms Cate Maluleke can be contacted on 083 507 2012.

Date:07 December 2023

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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