Family plead for father’s return
THE family of a Pretoria man, Omar Carrim, who is feared to have been kidnapped, are battling to cope with his disappearance after his burnt-out Mercedes-Benz C300 car was found near Atteridgeville on Friday.
Carrim, 76, went missing on Thursday afternoon after leaving his workplace, Home Hyper, in Pretorius Street, Pretoria.
His son, Abdullah, said they were shattered and afraid about his health.
“If you take out the head, how does the body go on? That is how we feel. My dad takes chronic medication before supper every day. He hasn’t taken it in days and we are beside ourselves with worry, but we are trying to be strong. We have to be hopeful,” he said.
Abdullah, who shares a birthday with his dad, said his family believed his father was kidnapped for a ransom. However, no one has contacted them about a ransom demand.
He said as far as he had known, no one was upset with or hated his dad, who lives in Laudium.
“My father was considered the ‘Tata’ of this community because he built schools here.”
He said their family were close-knit and knew almost immediately that something was amiss on Thursday when he failed to return home.
“I get home before my dad and we all usually sit together for dinner. When he had not arrived, I called my dad on his cellphone and there was no response. I then contacted my brothers and the community to help us find him.”
Abdullah, 49, said the community rallied and began searching for his father.
The family has been pleading for Carrim’s safe return.
“Please, let the old man go. He has medication that he hasn’t taken. He needs to be with his family. Just let him go,” urged Abdullah.
Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, accompanied by senior police officials, visited the family yesterday to give support and brief them on the investigation.
“We explained that we are here to support them along the way and help them get to the bottom of this,” Nkosi-Malobane told POST. “Our investigations are continuing and our team are working with two private investigators as well. We are now urging the public to come forward with any information because this man is elderly and he has health complications. We need to find him quickly and safe to ensure this family has their happy ending.”