Fears for missing woman after hoax ransom calls

CRIMINAL elements are causing distress to the family of a missing Ekurhuleni woman by making hoax phone calls asking for ransom for the “safe return” of Thembisile Lucia Yende.

The 29-year-old, from Springs, mysteriously disappeared last Wednesday morning after routinely leaving her partner’s home for work at an Eskom substation in the vicinity, her partner, Paseka Modise, said.

But it emerged yesterday from police spokesperson Sergeant Harry Manaka that, due to the attention Yende’s disappearance has had on social media sites, “criminals” were trying to take advantage by reporting to the woman’s family that she has been kidnapped and ransom was required for her safe return.

“We are monitoring Thembisile’s bank accounts to see if there will be any activities on it as we know that (yesterday) was payday at Eskom, and people might want to take money out of her account,” Manaka said.

“We appeal to them to stop sending the family false information about the daughter’s whereabouts because this is causing enormous distress and could jeopardise the investigation.”

Manaka added that a missing person’s inquiry docket had been opened but that no criminal case had been opened as yet.

“However, working with Eskom’s investigating unit and the family, we are leaving nothing to chance to find the young woman,” he added.

Yende’s partner told The Star this week that he last saw her on the morning of her disappearance, and began to worry when it got late and he hadn’t heard from her the whole day.

“Even her mother was worried that Thembisile had not called on that day as she usually called her mother when she arrived at work,” Modise said

They had no joy at Yende’s workplace and decided to open a missing person’s case with the Tsakane police.

“The substation is a bit isolated and she works there alone. Security guards are there from 6pm to 6am, so everything that happens after 6am we wouldn’t know about. And, apparently, the CCTV cameras had been off for about two weeks at that stage.”

Modise said he felt let down by the manner in which the police have handled the case, saying cellphone triangulation to locate his partner had not been done by Wednesday – a week after Yende had gone missing.

Asked about the alleged delay in obtaining cellphone records, Manaka said he could not comment on that aspect yet, but that the records would also be thoroughly studied.

Meanwhile, Modise said the family had tried to cover up Yende’s disappearance from her six-year-old son – who he said was a son to him as well – but that his partner’s mother was going through “agonising pain” from the ordeal.

“The mother is not taking it well at all. I don’t know when last she had a decent night’s sleep. It has also affected her health – it is visible…

“When you enter her family home, it’s very gloomy and you can feel how gloomy it is because the aura is so bad,” he added.

Anyone with information on Yende’s whereabouts can call Warrant Officer Khomo on 011 363 5353.