The residents of Madombidzha Zone 2 converged at the home of the Tshivhi family on Monday evening to pray for the 11-year-old boy, Theophilus Tshivhi, who had disappeared at Maname in Nzhelele in January this year.

Community members who are concerned about the disappearance of the boy approached the Sinthumule-Kutama Pastors Forum for intervention in this regard. The forum then decided to hold  a prayer session for the missing boy. They said that they needed the boy, dead or alive.

Mr Victor Ratshikhopha, the chairperson of the South African Civic Organisation (Sanco), said that the purpose of the prayer was to support the Tshivhi family that was going through hard times. "We did everything we could as community members in trying to assist the family, but to no avail. Then we realised that there was one thing we had not done, which is talking to our almighty God," he said.

Ratshikhopha added that they then decided to engage the pastor's forum for a prayer. "We held several protests and had written several letters to both the police and the Department of Justice, but it never helped. We know that things will be fine if we consult our Saviour," said Ratshikhopha.

Even though it has been two months and three weeks since Theophilus went missing, his family, as well as members of the community, still believe they will find him. The Tshivhi family is still heartbroken for not knowing what exactly happened to their son.

Theophilus is a Grade 4 pupil at Tshilwavhusiku Senior Primary School. It is alleged that he was taken by a sangoma, Mrs Elizabeth Ramaremela (60), her husband Johannes (69) and Sello Tlhaoele (21) to Maname, where they had gone to collect traditional medicinal plant and herbs. The three claimed that the boy disappeared while they were in the bush.

The three, together with two other traditionbal healers, Ms Alilali Ndou (81) and Ntakuseni Ndou (32), were arrested and charged with kidnapping but later released, because the Director of Public Prosecutions cited a lack of evidence to hold them.

The release of the five suspects angered the community, which then burnt down Ramaremela's house and a car a week ago.

Meanwhile, a representative of the pastor's forum, Pastor Mamukhwana, said that the Tshivhi family's problem was everyone's problem. "We will continue praying for the family and the lost boy, so that he can be found," he said.

The spokesperson for the Tshilwavhusiku police, Const Godwin Mahuwa, said that the boy was still missing and that police investigations were still continuing. The family, however, stated that they had lost confidence in both the police and the justice department.