SAMBANDOU – Fhatuwani Nengovhela (39) boarded a train from Germiston to Venda on December 22, last year, to attend his grandmother’s funeral and never arrived. Since then, his family has never heard anything from him.

“We knew he would have been here on December 23, but we waited in vain. His relative, who works as a Metrorail security offi-cer, saw him on the train between Hammanskraal and Pyramid on the 22nd December. We were sure he was coming home but we are now dumbfounded, as he never arrived at his home village of Sambandou, north of Thohoyandou…” said Ntamiseni Mudau, who approached Mirror on behalf of the Nengovhela family.

Mudau said Fhatuwani worked at a restaurant on Germiston and even his employers know nothing of his whereabouts. “They sent a message that they need him back but there was nothing we could do because we also do not know his whereabouts.”

Mudau said the family have searched for Fhatuwani in government mortuaries and police stations, but in vain.

“We searched for him at police stations and mortuaries in Makhado, Bandelierkop, Soekmekaar, Polokwane, Makopane, Mokgopong, Bela Bela and Pienaarsrivier, but there was no trace of him. We are now afraid that something bad might have happened to him on the way and the family is in terrible pain since his disappearance. We will be happy to be reunited with him and we believe community members will assist us to find him alive.”

Mudau said the family has opened a missing person file at Makuya SAPS with the hope that they will get assistance to trace Fhatu-wani.

Anyone with information can contact Azwitamisi Mudau at 073 368 6421 or Avhatakali Nemakonde at 072 402 9681 or alternatively contact the nearest police station.