Family of eight-year-old who went missing in April are desperate for answers

It’s been more than four months since the eight-year-old went missing.

Amahle Thabethe’s mom, Nokulunga Nkosi, is still reeling from the pain of not knowing her daughter’s whereabouts.

Amahle was playing with her friends and cousins near her home in Tsakane, East Rand, on Saturday 6 April when an unknown man reportedly came out of nowhere and lured her away.

Days have come and gone, and the family still have many unanswered questions.

Nokulunga’s agony is palpable as she talks about how she’ll never give up looking for her.

“The pain is indescribable,” the distraught mother tells YOU.

Since Amahle’s disappearance, Nokulunga, who’s an assistant welder by trade, has been in and out of hospital and she’s been diagnosed with depression.

Amahle’s siblings often ask their mom every day when their sister is coming back.

Nokulunga says even though she isn’t coping, she goes to work to keep her mind from running wild.

“It’s really hard but I have to go because [instead of] sitting at home at least I get to be busy.”

The heartbroken mom says the prayer and support she’s getting from her family and friends help to keep her going.

“I really miss her smile and her laugh,” she says of Amahle. “She never used to talk a lot, but really enjoyed laughing.”

She’s grateful to everyone who’s been assisting her, but she looks at Amahle’s pictures often and it breaks her heart, Nokulunga says.

“I’m still getting calls from people I don’t even know. It shows that the other people there still haven’t lost hope.”

But she hasn’t received an update from the police in a long time, she says.

A man was taken in for questioning months ago but was released because he couldn’t be linked to the case.

“They arrested an innocent man who didn’t know anything. I just feel the police aren’t doing enough.

“We’ve done everything we can to find her. It’s in God’s hands and we trust that He’s going to fight for us.”

This mother still doesn’t know why anyone would want to hurt her child.

“I truly don’t know because I’ve never even received calls from someone asking for a ransom.”

But she still hasn’t lost hope that her child will be in her arms again one day.

“If she can read this article, I want her to know that mommy is looking for her and that I haven’t thrown in the towel and that I love her.”