Do not wait to report missing person
Boksburg residents are reminded that there is no 48-hour waiting period if a child or adult is suspected to be missing.
This is according to Boksburg North SAPS communications officer, Lieut Juanita Coetzer, who says people are under the misconception that they have to wait 48 hours before they can open a docket of a missing person at the police station.
This comes after the recent kidnappings, rapes and gruesome murders of children being reported in the media and occurring in some parts of Boksburg.
“The 48-hour rule was one that existed a long time ago and the process did not work,” explains Coetzer.
“If you are not assisted by police at your local police station, then I would advise that you call 10111 – it may not respond as quickly, but then you have a reference number and proof that you called at a certain time.”
Lieut Coetzer says that if police do not respond fast enough, someone needs to be held accountable and by calling 10111, and having a reference number, the police who respond to the call can be responsible if they do not respond to the matter itself.
“Waiting too long can have a bad ending, as we have seen with other cases of missing and kidnapped children,” says Coetzer.
Missing persons can also be reported by e-mail at missing.gauteng@saps.gov.za.
