‘They’re trying to blame me,’ says missing Anovuyo Oncke’s father
The parents of a Lotus River girl who has been missing since September 6, 2025 are appealing for public assistance in finding her.
Anovuyo Oncke from Riemvasmaak informal settlement in Phumlani Village is still missing, and the searches by officials seem to have died down.
Speaking to IOL, her parents, Samantha Oncke, and Luvuyo Matile explained they have been searching non-stop for their daughter.
“We started searching early morning, yesterday (Tuesday) we went as far as the Shoprite in Pelikan Park searching. There were no police, just us,” Matile said.
The mother of two said they are trying to be strong.
“Things are not well. We are not well, but we have to be strong. In our mind, she is still alive even if it has been so long. We have not found anything so that tells us she is alive,” she said.
Matile told IOL it also hurts knowing police are trying to point the finger at him for his daughter’s disappearance.
“My heart hurts knowing my child is gone. They’re (police) trying to blame me. Trying to turn things to me. It really hurts,” he said.
The father explained that he has two other children he and Samantha cared for before their mother took them back to the Eastern Cape, and the two children they share mean everything to him.
He said the youngest child, aged one, was taken on Friday by the social worker.
“They took him on Friday (September 12), and we have not even gotten one update to know if he is okay, if he is placed,” Samantha said, crying.
Community worker, Beryl Williams, who has been assisting the family since Anovuyo’s disappearance, gave the parents an update.
“Aunty Beryl heard from the social worker, who said our baby was taken to the hospital for a checkup. He is fine. They are still looking for a safe parent to place him. He needs placement close by because I still breastfeed. They have our details, but we have not heard anything from the social worker,” Samantha said.
Williams confirmed this to IOL: “The baby is fine,” she said.
She called on residents and members of the public to join searches for the missing eight-year-old girl.
“Last week, everyone was helping. The hype seems to have died down now, and it’s just me, the parents, their friends, and some neighbours still searching. We need people to come out and support,” Williams said.
The areas of Jim se Bos, Egoli, near the canal, Zeekoevlei, Strandfontein pavilion, and the area known as ‘wit blokke’ have been searched with no leads.
Western Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, said the search for the missing girl is ongoing.
Anovuyo has been missing for 11 days.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL