By Celani Sikhakhane
A couple and their two-year-old son went missing on New Year’s Day during the devastating floods which hit the Bergville area.
Some community members have suggested that David Hlongwane, his wife Andiswa Zikode and their son Mesuli might have been swept away by the floods.
However, their family believes flooding had nothing to do with it. They fear the family may have been hijacked or killed.
The Hlongwanes left their rural family home of eMangwaneni on Monday, 1 January, to go to Vryheid, where they live, but nobody has heard from them since.
Relative Celani Mahlobo told Scrolla.Africa the family was at eMangwaneni for the December holidays but on Monday at 7.30 pm, they left for Vryheid.
“David and his wife and their son left us in a very good mood after spending the December holidays with us.
“They left on Monday because David was preparing to go back to work on the following day which was Tuesday, the 2nd of January. When we checked on them on how they’d travelled because they left at night, both of their cellphones were on voice mail,” Celani said.
He said that David’s colleagues also called to check on why he had not reported to work, and that is when they knew something was wrong.
Celani said they even phoned the vehicle tracking company but they were told that the car was no longer traceable because the tracker was off.
He said it was impossible that they had been swept away by the Ladysmith floods. The route from Bergville to Vryheid passed Ladysmith, but on the night they left their home in Bergville there were no floods.
Amos Nonyana, who is Hlongwane’s supervisor at Transnet, said that they are worried because it’s been days without any traceable results on their whereabouts.
“We are still looking with the assistance of police but there are no results so far. Hlongwane is not a person who might have enemies that can kill him or attack him.”
Their red Toyota SUV is personalised with Dlendo on its number plate.
Police said that they have opened a case of missing persons but the search is still underway.
Pictured above: The Dlendo ZN vehicle belonging to missing parents Andiswa Zikode and David Hlongwane.
Image source: Supplied
