Pupil found, but his kidnapping is still a mystery
Boy, 14, reunited with his family
A grade 8 pupil who has been missing was found safe in Soweto yesterday after his disappearance was made public by the Gauteng department of education.
The 14-year-old boy, who was found at Maponya Mall, was reunited with his family two days after he was reported missing.
Peter Sibanyoni‚ 53‚ who transports the pupil who was allegedly abducted from Queens High School in Johannesburg on Monday said he had left him behind at the school because he was supposed to participate in extra mural activities.
“His father drops him off at school every morning and I drop him off at home. He came to me and told me he’s not leaving with me because he had to go to sports‚ and I left.”
Ordinarily‚ the driver said‚ his father would fetch him.
“Then I got a call around 9pm that he didn’t make it home. I was shocked‚” he said.
Sibanyoni said the school CCTV footage showed the boy was with a friend. “When they spoke to the friend on the footage‚ he said his friend had requested a cab.”
Anne Pratt‚ 66‚ who lives two houses away from the school‚ was in shock because she did not see anything suspicious on Monday.
“The children are always outside the gate waiting for transport. They normally make noise and play outside. I would notice if something suspicious happened. There was no scream or any struggle.
“I found out on Facebook. I’ve lived here for years and went to the school‚ but I have not heard anything of that sort happening at the school‚” she said.
Pratt said the area was generally safe: “It’s as safe as it can be and I guess that’s why the security is a bit lax because no one expects that sort of thing to happen.”
Atlas Ntloana‚ 72‚ said he used to work at the school as a general worker for years and had not seen or heard of anything like that.
“This place is not bad; the kids normally walk about freely,” said Ntloana.
The owner of the tiny tuckshop across the road from the school‚ which pupils frequent‚ said they broke the news of the alleged kidnapping to him nonchalantly.
The man‚ who asked not to be named‚ said school life had been normal despite the incident.
The police are investigating.