A quiet community in Delmas, Mpumalanga, has been shattered by a discovery of pure horror. The body of seven-year-old Thandolwethu Mahlangu was found on Wednesday morning, two days after she vanished from her home in Delpark Extension 2. The little girl had last been seen alive on Monday evening when she reportedly left to visit her father. The search for her involved frantic family members and local residents who scoured the area throughout the night, but their efforts proved futile.
The case took a sinister turn on Tuesday morning when the child’s mother, Ayanda Ngwenyama, received a chilling text message from an unknown number. The message demanded a ransom of R30,000 (approximately US$1,600) for the safe return of her daughter, claiming the sum was owed by the child’s father. Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Lt-Col Jabu Ndubane, confirmed the grim sequence of events.
“A missing person inquiry was opened, and all relevant role players were informed. Preliminary investigations traced the cellphone number used by the kidnappers to the Botleng area,” he stated.
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“We Will Not Rest,” Vows Top Cop
The breakthrough came not from the digital trail, but from a neighbour’s grim observation. While cleaning his yard, the man noticed something protruding from beneath a pile of rubble behind a shack. It was the small legs of the missing child. The acting provincial commissioner, Maj-Gen Zeph Mkhwanazi, has since activated a rigorous 72-hour plan to apprehend those responsible. He expressed his profound disgust at the crime, asking a question on the lips of the entire nation: “People have lost their sense of humanity. How can anyone kill an innocent young girl who had her whole future ahead of her? We will not rest until the suspect(s) are behind bars.”
A Plea for Information
Police are now pursuing all leads and are appealing to the public for assistance. They are particularly interested in the ransom message and the unknown number from which it was sent.
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Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward. Lt-Col Victor Dibakoane can be contacted directly on 079 268 0040, or tip-offs can be given anonymously via Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Lt-Col Ndubane provided assurance, confirming that “all information will be treated with strict confidentiality and callers may remain anonymous.” The community of Delmas now mourns, waiting for justice for little Thandolwethu.