By Staff Reporter
Masoyi, Mpumalanga – After five harrowing days of uncertainty, Nkosingiphile Ntiwane, the 3-year-old boy who went missing from Mshadza Trust in Masoyi on Sunday, July 20, has been found alive — bringing a mixture of relief, suspicion, and tension to the shaken community.
Nkosingiphile, who is deaf and mute, vanished while playing at home around 13h00. His father raised the alarm after realising he was missing and immediately called neighbours and community members to assist in the search. The case triggered a large-scale response, with Search and Rescue teams, K9 units, and the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit leading the search efforts.
He was discovered on Friday, July 25 at 15:00 in a ditch not far from his home — a spot that had reportedly already been thoroughly searched in the early days of the investigation. This has raised suspicions among community members that Nkosingiphile may have been abducted and returned to the area after the initial search.
“We searched that spot before. He was not there,” said one community member, voicing a widely shared concern.
The child’s unexpected reappearance has sparked calls for a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and sudden return. Police have confirmed that an inquiry is underway.
Meanwhile, emotions in the community have run high. Angry residents staged violent protests along the R38, accusing the family — particularly the mother — of possible involvement. The situation escalated to stone-throwing at the Masoyi Police Station, where a police van was damaged, and threats were made to burn down the family’s home. In response, authorities relocated the family to a safe location.
Public Order Policing (POP) units were deployed to restore calm, and police visibility has since been heightened in the area.
“We understand the frustration, but protest action only derails efforts to get to the truth,” said a police spokesperson.
Despite the tense environment, police have urged the public to remain calm and allow investigators to do their work. Officers continue to collect information, and anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious is urged to come forward.
For those with any information, Captain David Hlatshwayo can be contacted at 076 451 5495, or members of the public can call Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS app.
