Tears in Tonota as search for missing man reaches two months

It is now two months since Edward Tshekiso disappeared.

The chances of finding the 40-year-old Tonota native alive grow slimmer with each passing day he remains missing.

Both his family and the police are at a loss as to what could have happened to him or where he might be.

Tshekiso was last seen in the mid-afternoon of 3rd February, leaving his mother’s yard in Tonota for his home at Mosi cattlepost 1km away, where he worked as a herdboy.

There is evidence Tshekiso made it home that night.

His phone was found perched at the top of a nearby tree, where he routinely kept it for network and his faithful dogs, who never left his side, were also at the cattlepost.

However, the next day, he was nowhere to be seen. Although the police were promptly called, there was no trail to follow.

Desperate and scared, the missing man’s mum, Kebonemang Tshekiso, 58, refuses to give up hope of her son’s safe return. She is, however, prepared for the worst.

“I have not given up and will not give up until I see him or his bones at least!”

Her voice cracking with emotion and on the verge of tears, she tells The Voice, “My daughter, even now, I have not found my son, I wonder what happened to him. I have not given up and will not give up until I see him or his bones at least.”

Living every mother’s nightmare has taken its toll on Kebonemang, who has lost a lot of weight since we last talked shortly after her son’s disappearance.

“When a car parks by my gate, I get hope that maybe it’s him, or perhaps they are here to give me news that they saw him somewhere. I do not sleep at all. Even at night, when I hear noise outside, I think it’s him,” she says, blowing her nose with a sad, heavy sigh.

Confirming that they will not give up, Tonota Station Commander, Oteng Ngada, revealed the search for Tshekiso continues daily.

“We still plead with Botswana to help look for the missing man. Anything that they see or hear about him, they should report to us,” he said.

Tshekiso is described as average height, fit and mentally stable. He was last seen wearing blue dungarees.