The family of the missing 16-year-old Chanelle Plaatjies has asked for space to mourn the teenager, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Paarl East.

Plaatjies was last seen on May 14 but was only reported missing two weeks later on May 28.

The delay in reporting, the family says, was due to the hope that she would return home, as she usually did when she went out with friends.

The breakthrough in the search came on June 2, when her sisters stumbled upon one of her shoes in a wooded area about a kilometre from their house.

It was this discovery that led to the unearthing of a body believed to be that of a young woman.

Plaatjies’s parents said they did not believe their daughter was dead.

But on Wednesday, they received the heartbreaking news that DNA tests confirmed it was her body that was dug out.

Her elder sister, Melleney Hugo, said: “We have had meetings the whole day, and all we want to do as the family is to mourn Chanelle and arrange her funeral. We need to space, and we can’t comment on anything.”

Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation chairperson Billy Classen assured the family that they won’t pay for the funeral.

“We will take care of everything, from arranging the funeral to the burial.” 

Plaatjies’s family asked for the police not to drag the case as they did with the slain 4-year-old Mia Botha’s case.

“We would like to request that the police keep the investigating officer and not hand the case over to other officers, as they did with the Mia case. The detective was very good and thorough when my sister went missing. 

“We don’t want to find ourselves years from now asking questions about Chanelle’s cold case. This is our only request to the police.” 

Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk said: “Be advised that the DNA results were received on Tuesday and confirmed that the body of a female discovered buried in the woods in Paarl East near to prison is indeed 16-year-old Chanelle Plaatjies. Investigation continues.

“We appeal to anyone who can shed light on the circumstances surrounding this incident to please call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.”

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Cape Argus

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