Missing Tazne van Wyk: 'We all need to look after each other's children'

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Cape Town – While Tazne van Wyk's family and friends cling to the belief that she is still alive, a neighbourhood watch group urged parents that dropping and picking up young children from school is one measure to ensure their safety. Sadeeka Valentine, of the almost completely female Blomvlei Neighbourhood Watch in Hanover Park, said on Wednesday: "It will also help if we all were to look out for each other's children." The arrest of a 54-year-old as a person of interest in the disappearance of the 8-year-old Tazne van Wyk, from Ravensmead in Elsies River, brought short-lived joy for her family. After a more than week-long search, he was finally nabbed in Cradock, Eastern Cape, but Tazne is yet to be located. The girl's mother, Carmen van Wyk, told the Daily Voice the suspect's arrest has sparked fears that Tazne is dead, but she believes her child is alive.

Tazne was last seen on February 7, when she left her home to buy an ice lolly, just metres from her house.

Valentine said while some parents may not be able to pick up their children from school, they should enlist the help of their neighbourhood watch group.

"Every father or parent should be dropping off their child at school. We escort many children to and from school, especially those living in hokkies, where the men are drinking and smoking it up.

"We even get young children walking on their own along the way to accompany us. The children are so traumatised that recently one kid almost ran into the traffic when he confused a car backfiring with gunshot."

The suspect was arrested by the Western Cape Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, together with Crime intelligence, in Cradock.

According to Die Burger, sources said the man was led into a trap on Monday evening at the Victoria Hotel in Cradock when he went to visit a woman. He had been traced to Kimberley last week and thereafter in Colesberg, 200km from Cradock.

"We believe a woman informed the them that he would be visiting and she was used as bait," a source said.

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the suspect, a convicted criminal, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for culpable homicide in 2008.

Following his release on parole in October 2016, he was placed under correctional supervision at the Ladismith Community Corrections Centre.

A warrant of arrest had been issued for him in February last year after he broke his parole conditions. He was also meant to appear at the Worcester Magistrate's Court on February 6 but never pitched.

It has also been revealed that he had answered phone calls from relatives, who begged him to return on Saturday. At that stage, he revealed he was in Grabouw, but denied having Tazne.

In a recorded call, which was handed to police, a relative begs the suspect to hand himself in, but he continually denies having Tazne with him.

Minister of Community Safety Albert Fritz on Wednesday welcomed the arrest of the suspect and reiterated that a R10 000 reward will be made to anyone with information on Tazne’s whereabouts.

Cape Times