Timeline of search for Philasande
PHILASANDE Ngum, 19, went missing on Friday, May 3, from the Boulders shopping mall in Midrand.
Catherine Ngum, Philasande’s mother, received a phone call from her daughter’s friend Ntombi Valashiya alerting her to the disappearance.
Ngum then drove to Midrand police station and opened a missing person’s case.
On Saturday, May 4, the family checked nearby hospitals.
They later drove to Boulders shopping mall with a printed picture of Philasande. They showed the picture to shoppers and shop assistants.
They went to MTN to get a printout of Philasande’s phone records.
They asked for surveillance footage of the shopping mall to see if they can spot her.
On Sunday, May 5, they visited her room at the Midrand Graduate Institute.
They approached nearby police stations in Tembisa and neighbouring areas.
On Monday, May 6, they reviewed surveillance footage of Philasande at Boulders and see her entering Game and Clicks stores.
They checked night clubs in surrounding areas.
On May 11 Ngum received a call from her daughter’s phone with a demand of R1 500 from an unknown man for her release.
She went to the police to tell them about the ransom call.
Ngum deposited money into her daughter’s account as per the ransom request on Sunday, May 12.
The alleged kidnapper withdrew the money on the same day. Police cannot access footage of the man at the Tembisa ATM where the withdrawal was made.
The following day, Ngum received another call from the man. He told her Philasande was threatening him, so he cannot let her go.
On Wednesday, May 22, Philasande’s body is discovered by construction workers at President Park. – Nomaswazi Nkosi