Search for Tazne van Wyk, 8, intensifies

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Cape Town - More than 100 volunteers and residents on Saturday continued the search for Tazne van Wyk, 8, who went missing in Connaught Estate, Ravensmead. Her father, Terence Manual, last saw her metres away from their home at a tuck shop last Friday. Police were soon alerted that a man who had just moved into the area, in one of the neighbours’ homes in Clare Street, had also disappeared. Moehydien Pangaker is now a person of interest. On Saturday, volunteers from neighbourhood watches and the Western Cape Missing Persons Unit went door to door in Connaught Estate, Bishop Lavis, Elsies River and Epping in search of Tazne or any witness who might have seen Pangaker. “If I find him, I will kill him myself,” one woman said to a passer-by who watched on with interest as the group made their way down Clare Street. The search party gathered outside Tazne’s parents’ home before scouring the streets. A search party drove to the open field adjacent to Belhar train station searching for any clues. Wearing gloves and armed with wooden sticks, the group of mostly women braved the blazing sun. They carefully opened bins and peered through bushes. But their search was in vain.

More than 100 volunteers and residents on Saturday continued the search for Tazne van Wyk, 8, who went missing in Connaught Estate, Ravensmead. Picture: Courtney Africa/African News Agency

The search continues for missing Tazne van Wyk from Ravensmead as the community joined the authorities and missing persons groups in the search for the girl. Picture: Courtney Africa/African News Agency

A man shouted to the group to check the drains, too. But the women found nothing.

Tazne’s mom, Carmen van Wyk, said: “This was just a tragic week; every day and the whole day I needed to explain the same thing to people over and over again.”

She added her other two daughters, one aged 4 and the other 4 months, had also been taking strain.

“Because there are people here every day, my daughter has been acting out and wants more attention,” said Van Wyk.

As the search drew to an end, cars displaying posters with Tazne’s image drove off.

Tazne’s parents were once again left with no answers and no further clues as to what happened to their daughter.

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