UJ student Goes Missing

A UNIVERSITY of Johannesburg student has disappeared after spending a weekend at a friend’s house.

Palesa Madiba, of Diepkloof in Soweto, was last seen by her friend Tshidi Mkhwanazi on Monday after the long weekend.

Mkhwanazi (22) said Madiba (21), a final-year BCom business management student at the Soweto campus, had spent the long weekend at her home at Phiri, Soweto, and left for classes on Monday morning. Mkhwanazi lives with her grandmother Thandi and uncle Dumisani.
She said Madiba came to her home that weekend because the Mkhwanazis were celebrating a birthday for two relatives.
“Usually when Palesa comes to sleep over at my house, I leave her behind because I have to get to work early. I would then call her later in the day to check up on her,” said Mkhwanazi.
When she tried to call her friend on Monday, her phone was off.
She was not too worried about that, because she thought Madiba was getting ready for classes.
“I kept trying to call Palesa the entire day, but her phone remained off. I contacted her sister, Tebogo, the following day to ask whether she knew where Palesa was. She told me she didn’t know.”
Sunday World visited Madiba’s home, where she lives with her aunt Tebogo and her cousins Thabiso and Kgothatso Tsoledi.
The family say they have been having sleepless nights since she disappeared.
Thabiso said the last they saw Madiba was on the morning of Women’s Day after they went out for breakfast together.
Madiba told them she meant to go to her parents’ house in Protea Glen to see her elder sister Tebogo.
“We got worried when she didn’t come home on Monday as we expected her to,” said Thabiso.
The family opened a missing persons case at Diepkloof police station. The case was transferred to Moroka police station.
Police spokesman Mpande Khoza said they were investigating.
“The investigation is proceeding well. Many people have been interviewed, including (people at) the address where she was last seen, at Phiri in Soweto.”
Madiba’s boyfriend, Khanyisizwe Nkosi, said he had no words to describe how he felt about her disappearance. “It’s surreal,” he said.
Nkosi said the last time he heard from Madiba was when she sent him a text wishing him good luck for his test on Monday morning.
“After I got out of my test I sent her several messages and she didn’t respond.
“I sent Tshidi a BBM message, but it looks like she only saw my messages the following day because that’s when she replied.”
Nkosi said he went to the protection services on campus on Wednesday to check on the last time Madiba’s student card had been swiped.
“The records showed her student card was last swiped the previous Thursday, and that’s when she was going home,” he said.
Zar reported