Protecting Our Children: A South African Guide to Child Safety in 2025

By Zinhle Cele | Missing Person South Africa

In a country where community is everything, nothing cuts deeper than the disappearance or harm of a child. Whether you’re raising your children in a quiet suburb of Bloemfontein, a township in Umlazi, or a coastal village in the Eastern Cape, one truth remains: no parent is ever truly prepared for danger.

Every day in South Africa, families from all races and backgrounds live with the terrifying reality that their children could be next. As we face rising reports of missing children, child abductions, trafficking, abuse, and digital threats, we ask the most urgent question: Are we doing enough to protect them?

📊 The Reality in Numbers: What the Statistics Reveal

According to Missing Children South Africa, one child goes missing every five hours in South Africa. In 2023 alone, over 1,300 cases of missing children were reported.

“While some children are found and safely reunited with their families, too many vanish without a trace. Others are found abused, trafficked, or worse,” said Bianca van Aswegen, National Coordinator at Missing Children SA.

Child safety is no longer a township, suburb, or rural issue — it’s a national emergency, affecting Black, White, Coloured, and Indian communities alike.

🚸 What Threatens Our Children Today?

Our children are exposed to multiple dangers every single day — from public spaces to online platforms, even within the safety of their homes.

Common Threats Include:

• Kidnapping & Abduction – Often by strangers or even family members in custody battles.
• Online Grooming & Cyberbullying – Especially through unsupervised social media apps.
• Human Trafficking – South Africa remains both a source and destination country.
• Neglect & Abuse – Both physical and emotional harm at home or school.
• Unsafe Travel – Walking alone, using unsupervised taxis, and hitchhiking.

“I had no idea that just letting my daughter walk to school could end in disaster. I trusted our area. I trusted people,” said Miriam Khoza, a mother from Soweto whose daughter was nearly abducted in April 2024.

📍 Recent Incidents That Shook the Nation

In Bloemfontein, the shocking disappearance of 19-year-old Kamogelo Baukudi has left the community in turmoil. Kamogelo, a learner from Martie du Plessis Special School, was allegedly kidnapped on 5 June 2025 by two men pretending to be police officers. Witnesses say he was taken in what appeared to be a marked SAPS vehicle. In a disturbing twist, a 42-year-old police sergeant has since been arrested and charged in connection with the kidnapping, including allegations of extortion. Despite the arrest, Kamogelo remains missing, and police say the search for him remains a top priority.

Meanwhile, in Heidelberg, 8-year-old Omphile Sebiloane was taken from her home in Ratanda during a terrifying home invasion on the same date, 5 June 2025. The intruders reportedly stormed the house and abducted Omphile in front of her family. She is a Grade 2 learner at Shalimar Ridge Primary School. Her case sparked a wave of online and community action, with her story spreading widely on platforms like TikTok and Facebook as concerned citizens shared posters and updates. Authorities are continuing their search for Omphile, and her family remains hopeful that she will be found safe.

These incidents aren’t just tragic stories — they are warnings. They show us how fast a moment of distraction can change everything.

🧠 The Emotional Toll: Not Just Missing, But Broken

“When your child goes missing, you don’t sleep. You don’t eat. You don’t live,” said Thabiso Moloi, a father whose son went missing in 2023 and was found in Mpumalanga months later.

The trauma of child-related crime devastates entire families and communities. It can leave children emotionally scarred and parents battling anxiety and depression. Yet, support systems are often slow and under-resourced.

🛡️ What Can You Do? Safety Starts With Us

Here are practical, proven tips to help keep your child safe:

🔐 At Home

• Teach your child not to open the door to anyone.
• Keep emergency numbers visible and memorized.
• Make sure children know their home address and at least one trusted contact.

🚶‍♀️ In Public

• Never leave young children unsupervised in malls or taxis.
• Use the “safe word” strategy with relatives and transport providers.
• Always walk children to school or ensure they walk in trusted groups.

📱 Online Safety

• Monitor app usage and online conversations.
• Educate them about stranger danger in the digital world.
• Install child-safe browsing tools or parental control apps.

🧠 For Parents

• Report any suspicious behavior in your area.
• Don’t post school locations, uniforms, or real-time locations on social media.
• Engage in regular check-ins and conversations with your child.

💡 What Should You Do If Your Child Goes Missing?

1. Stay calm but act quickly.
2. Call SAPS immediately and file a missing person report.
3. Get a case number and ensure it’s logged under “missing child.”
4. Contact Missing Person South Africa: 068 176 9574
5. Share a recent photo, last seen details, and what your child was wearing.
6. Go public on Facebook, WhatsApp, and local groups — speed is critical.

❤️ Together, We Can Build a Safer South Africa

What if child safety became our shared responsibility — as parents, neighbours, teachers, pastors, and even strangers on the street?

“We can’t afford to mind our own business anymore. If you see something, say something,” urges Captain Lydia Mokoena of SAPS Child Protection Unit in Gauteng.

We are not helpless. Every tip, every report, every share can bring a child home.

✨ Reflect and Act

Have you spoken to your child about safety this week?
Are you part of a community watch or school safety initiative?

We urge you to talk, share, teach, and act today — because one moment can change a life.

📣 Call to Action

Let’s come together and make child safety a top priority in every household and community.
Please:

• Share this article widely
• Talk to your children today
• Stay vigilant
• Report anything suspicious
• Use the official Missing Person SA reporting link:
  🔗 https://missingpersonsa.co.za/report-missing-person-south-africa

This article was written by Zinhle Cele for Missing Person South Africa.

📧 Email: zinhle.cela@missingpersonsa.co.za
📱 WhatsApp to report a case
🔗 Report a missing person