Family’s hope up after 25 years of looking for sibling
FOR the past 25 years, the Kibito family have been putting up posters in Buffalo City Metro in a desperate search for their sibling Nombuyiselo Kibito – and now their flame of hope is high again.
Kibito went missing in 1992 while visiting an aunt in a different suburb of Mdantsane. At the time of her disappearance, she was 38 years old with a slight mental problem, but was aware of her environment, her brother Mbulelo said.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, Mbulelo said the family had never lost hope of one day finding his sister.
He said for the past 25 years they had put up posters in King William’s Town, East London and Mdantsane.
“We have never lost hope. We started putting up notices in 1992 and we have never received a single phone call until last Wednesday, when we were called by a lady who said she had seen someone who looks like Nombuyiselo in the East London city centre,” he said.
Mbulelo said the phone call had renewed their faith that she was still alive.
“The call we received pointed us to a store in the East London CBD.
“The caller said she [Nombuyiselo] normally goes to the store to buy bread and to ask for change.
“It is also alleged there is a gentleman whom she normally goes with and we fear she may be influenced to stay away from the shop after the posters became visible in town.
“Unfortunately at the time that we were there [at the shop], she never pitched but we remain hopeful,” he said.
The family has put up posters printed on glossy paper with bold markings along Oxford Street, in the East London CBD and in Quigney.
The family said they had not involved the police in the matter because they did not believe this would help.
“We found no joy in the police before and have since not involved them,” he said. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za