Desperate Plea for Missing 19-Year-Old Owami ‘Kurube’ Radebe: A Family’s Agonizing Search

KwaMashu, South Africa – The family of 19-year-old Owami Radebe, affectionately known as “Kurube,” is living a nightmare that has gripped the entire KwaMashu community. Missing since August 16, 2024, Owami’s disappearance has left his family shattered, searching tirelessly for answers, and appealing desperately to South African authorities, including Minister Senzo Mchunu and General Nhlanhla Mkwanazi, to help bring him home.

Owami, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and ADHD at an early age, is remembered as a unique character who was well-known throughout KwaMashu. “He had his rough days, but everyone loved him,” his mother, Nonhlanhla Radebe, shared in an exclusive interview with Izithunywa Zokugcina Missing Persons South Africa.

“He had moments of happiness where he would laugh with everyone, even the people he had fought with the day before. Owami was a fighter and a lover at the same time,” she said tearfully.

A Normal Day Turned into a Nightmare

According to his grandmother, Nokuthula Radebe, the day Owami went missing began like any other. He was in a bad mood that morning, arguing as he often did, before leaving the house. Later, he returned, greeted his family, asked to bathe, and changed into a black jean and a powder blue shirt.

Read Also | Desperate Search for 19-Year-Old Owami Radebe: Family’s Heartbreaking Plea for Answers—No Trace, No Clues, Just Hope

“He was last seen by the neighbors at around 1 PM, carrying a small carrier bag,” the grandmother recalled. Owami had a history of leaving home briefly when irritated, sometimes traveling to Pietermaritzburg to visit his father or heading to Umlazi. However, he never stayed away for more than a couple of days.

False Leads and Emotional Torment

Since Owami’s disappearance, the family has faced an onslaught of false leads, hoaxes, and heartbreaking rumors. “People even claimed he was found deceased,” his mother revealed. “Some came here to offer condolences and funeral assistance—it was traumatizing because we are still searching for him!”

The family has combed through hospitals, prisons, mortuaries, and even under bridges, hoping for a miracle. “The hardest part is seeing decomposed bodies and wondering if it’s your child. We’ve been living with this fear and pain every day,” the grandmother shared.

A Cry for Help

The family is now calling on South African authorities and the community to amplify their search efforts. Minister Mchunu and General Mkwanazi, they plead for resources, manpower, and attention to help locate Owami.

“We cannot sleep without knowing where he is,” the family says. “It’s unbearable. We’re asking for action, for someone to help us find him. How can a person just vanish without a trace?”

A Message to Owami

Through tears, his mother made an emotional plea: “Owami, ‘Kurube,’ we miss you. This house is empty without you. Please come home. We don’t care what happened—we just want you back.”

The Search Continues

This family’s agony is a stark reminder of the urgent need to prioritize missing persons cases. They are urging South Africans to share Owami’s story widely and report any valid information to the authorities.

Anyone with information about Owami’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Izithunywa Zokugcina Missing Persons South Africa immediately.

Let us stand together as a nation to help this family find peace and bring Owami home.

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