A man was found wandering along the streets of Ha-Makuya on August 1. He was carrying a big bag which contained dirty, tattered clothes, cigarette butts, old shoes and cooking pans. Police took him in for question and he seemingly did not know where he was going.

Since then, he has been kept at the Makuya SAPS and the police have urged community members to help them trace the family of the unknown man.

The man claims to be Jacky Isaac Ndlela, who was born in 1973. He speaks with difficulty, but he cannot exactly remember where he comes from. The police have also taken him for psychiatric tests at Donald Fraser Hospital, but officials there said there was nothing wrong with his mind.

When Mirror arrived at the police station, the man was relaxing on a mattress in a small room. When asked about his name and age he said: "I am an American and I am 1 000 years old. I am on my way to America."

Insp Mashudu Madida of the Makuya SAPS explains how the man got shelter at the Makuya SAPS: "This man was just moving around the streets with a big bag and we suspected that he was mentally disturbed. I first saw him at Mavunde village in the morning and took him to the police station for questioning. He cannot exactly remember where he came from or where he was going. We then took him to Donald Fraser Hospital for psychiatric tests but officials said he had no mental problem."

Madida urged community members to help the police in tracing the family of the man. "We want him to be reunited with his family and we believe our people will assist us out there."

Community members who would like to help can call the Makuya SAPS at 015 957 9206 or Insp Mashudu Madida at 082 713 3056.