Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Woman searches for street child she helped to raise 17 years ago
A FORMER security guard who worked in Cape Town is searching for her son, who she took in as her own after she found him living on the streets nearly 20 years ago.
This week, Genevieve Brown took to social media, hoping to find Fadiel “Falie” Petersen who she had lost contact with in 2007. In 2005, Brown worked as a security guard at Newspaper House in Cape Town and made the acquaintance of Petersen, who was then 7 years old.
Petersen lived on the streets of the CBD with his mother, Feroza.
Today Brown has three children of her own and always wonders what happened to Petersen, whether he was safe and was keen to reunite with him again.
“I was working the night shift one Saturday and I was looking for a shop that was open. This young boy saw me walking and he asked me where I was heading so late and alone. He asked me if he could show me where to get a shop that was still open.
“He was street-smart and very intelligent. His mom gave me permission to let him walk with me. He knew CBD better than me. He knew St George’s Mall from Burg Street and he knew the short cuts to Long Street. He spoke like a genius.”
Brown said she was intrigued by Fadiel’s presence because he was wise and kindhearted: “I asked him his name and he reluctantly replied: ‘My name is Falie.’ He could have a conversation with you and you would fall in love with him.”
Brown said that evening her life changed forever. “His sweet words went straight to my heart,” explained Brown. “He said to me … ’Don’t worry aunty you safe with me, no one will hurt you because the people know me very well. He got back to where I found him and he walked with me to my workplace.
“I fell in love with him and I hugged him. I gave him a R20 for walking with me.”
She decided she wanted to be the other mother to Fadiel and give him a better life. Brown met Feroza and an agreement was made that he would live with her in Mitchells Plain and attend school and Madrasa. He would return home on weekends to his birth mother.
“The next morning I looked for him and I asked his mom if he could go home with me so I could bathe him and feed him then bring him back the following day, and his mom agreed.
“I was so happy to take his hand and have him walk with me. We took the train to Mitchells plain and I brought him home to my mom and dad.
“I knew he was my son. I gave him a bath and I still recall rubbing him out with baby powder and lotion. I washed his hair and made him comfortable in bed next to me.
“We watched movies, we laughed together and we fell asleep together.
“I had to ask his mom if he can stay with me permanently but I will bring him to Town on weekends and she agreed.” Brown said when she took him back home for a weekend in 2007, she never saw him again.
She is now appealing for help to find him: “If there is anyone who has seen him please give him this message: ‘Genevieve Williams (maiden surname) of Newspaper House is looking for him.’ He must come to Mitchell’s Plain Police Station and he must ask for Jenni.”