Amahle Thabethe went missing on April 6, 2019 at the age of 8 in her hometown of Ekurhuleni, Tsakane.  It has been 4 years since her disappearance, with no active leads in the investigation.

On the fateful day of April 6th, young Amahle Thabethe was playing with her friends near her home in Tsakane when an unknown man reportedly came out of nowhere and lured her away.

The young girl has remained missing ever since, with no leads pointing to her whereabouts.

Her mother, Nokulunga Nkosi, her family, and the community members kept up the pressure through various means in the hope that Amahle returned home safely. However, the family has recently updated us on the lack of communication and activity between police officials and other governmental agencies.

The disappearance of Amahle Thabethe highlights several critical issues and challenges facing South Africa, particularly concerning the safety of women and children, which stir a sense of urgency and should not be ignored.

If things remain unchanged, the consequences could be severe, impacting both the affected families and the broader community at large in South Africa.

Amahle Thabethe's case serves as an example of missing children whose cases are often classified as a "cold case" due to the lack of activity and diligence that the case receives from law enforcement.

If there is an existing perception that those responsible for solving such cases are not held accountable or do not prioritize them, it could lead to frustration and disillusionment within the community. This could potentially result in a lack of cooperation with law enforcement efforts and a breakdown in the relationship between the community and authorities.

We propose the following to be achieved in this campaign:

1. For regular updates to be provided to Amahle Thabethe's family

As it stands, the family has not been updated by police officials since June 2022. This has caused despondency and uncertainty in the family, who have not been updated on the progress of the case. The SAPS are in violation of the following provisions of the South African Constitution:

Sections 195 (1), (a), (d), (f), (g), (2), (a) and (b).
Section 205 (3).
Sections 206 and 207 are applicable to the political component of the police services.

2. For the Department of Transportation to integrate the Amber Alert System into public transport.

The AMBER Alert system was launched in South Africa in 2020 and enables Facebook users to assist the police in finding missing children for various purposes, including sexual offences, parental disputes, or human trafficking.

Before putting in a request for an AMBER alert, the police must ascertain that the case meets the social media platform’s criteria, which includes making sure that:

• The child who’s missing is 18 years old or younger.
• There is reason to believe that the child has been abducted.
• The South African Police Service feels that the child is in immediate danger or serious bodily harm.
• There is enough descriptive information (appearance, clothing, last known location) on the suspect and the abductee for the police to issue an Amber Alert.

Integrating this system into public transportation can significantly enhance its reach, enabling alerts to reach a broader audience in a shorter time frame. This is crucial in the early stages of a disappearance when rapid response is essential.

Including alerts in buses, trains, and other forms of South African public transport ensures that a large number of people, including commuters and operators, are alerted to the situation, increasing the chances of locating the missing child who is placed in predicaments similar to Amahle Thabethe.

Amahle Thabethe is not just another statistic; she is a little girl who deserves greater effort than what she is receiving. 

Our voices are powerful, and our demands are just.