If there is anything that Rendani Thabo wants to see most in her life, it is her loving and caring mother. Rendani Thabo (24) of Mugomeli Village, Lwamondo, last saw her mother in November 2007.

She and her family are still in the dark, not knowing what happened to her mother as the woman did not reach her intended destination. The woman, Ms Julia Thabo (48) of Mugomeli village in Lwamondo, left home on 28 November, 2007, after telling her family she was going to visit relatives at Ngudza.

The second-born daughter of the lost woman, Rendani Thabo, relives the fateful day her mother disappeared. "I was sleeping as I was tired after preparing for my exams when my mother came and told me she was going to visit her family at Ngudza," she said. She said it was strange for her to visit her family again after having visited them two days previously. It was also very strange that she had to leave home at four in the morning.

Rendani said she did not know that she was bidding a final farewell to her mother as she has never been seen or heard of since. She said her uncle phoned the following inquiring about the wellbeing of her mother. "This came as a total surprise to me as I thought she had arrived safely. "We started a search that included all relatives, hospitals and police stations, but all our efforts yielded no results," she said. She said the matter was then reported to the police, but till now, she has not been found.

Rendani said the disappearance of her mother is putting a big strain on the family as they keep hoping she will come back one day, but their hopes are fading as days pass by without hearing anything about her or her whereabouts. "See, I have to assume a parental role to my siblings as my father is away in the city, and this is disturbing my school work," she said.

Rendani is making a plea to her mother, wherever she might be, to come back. "Please Mother, come back home. We still need you and we miss your warmth," she pleaded. Rendani said they would never lose hope and were making a plea to anyone who might have any information about her mother to contact her, family members or the police.

Another family member, Mrs Irene Maisha, said the disappearance has cast a dark cloud over the family. "We don´t even know what to do or what happened to our beloved relative," she said.

The spokesperson for the police at Vuwani, Inspector Thilivhali Mulaudzi, confirmed the case and said a missing person docket had been opened." We appeal to all who might have information about the missing woman to please come forward with the information.

Thabo is described as being of medium build, having a light complexion and black short hair. She is always wearing a hat or a head scarf.

Those with information about her can contact Rendani at 078 368 5074 or Pastor Azwianewi Maisha at 083 443 5747.