Missing children in Mitchell's Plain

[blunomore]

From what I have read / heard for a number of years now, an incredible amount of children from Mitchell's Plain go missing, often ending in tragic results. I am thinking all the way back to the Station Strangler in the 90's. Even to date, these disappearances continue.

I would be interested in reading any research that has been done in this regard. The socio-economic character of the area obviously plays a part, but then again, there are many similar areas in the country with no such reputation.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Children go missing all the time and the only reason why MPlain gets media attention is because of publications like Die Son and the fact that only bad news from the DA's Western Cape sells.

Years ago I worked on some stuff for Missing Children and it was shocking to see the number of reports coming in each week across the country.

 

[blunomore]

Children go missing all the time and the only reason why MPlain gets media attention is because of publications like Die Son and the fact that only bad news from the DA's Western Cape sells.

Years ago I worked on some stuff for Missing Children and it was shocking to see the number of reports coming in each week across the country.

It is obvious that children go missing from all over the country, but I have not read about any other geographical area in the country where so many children go missing.

 

[Lightscribe]

Approximately one thousand four hundred and sixty (1460) children go missing each year – it is a real and present danger and as an organisation we feel it is necessary to ensure that the citizens of South Africa are aware of this threat to the safety of our children.

http://www.missingchildren.org.za/about

'One child goes missing every six hours'

April 14 2007 at 11:29am

By Tash Reddy

A child goes missing every six hours in South Africa, according to figures released by the South African Police Service Missing Persons Bureau.

And experts agree that many are the victims of child sex-trafficking gangs, muthi murders and even fathers committing infanticide to avoid paying maintenance.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/one-child-goes-missing-every-six-hours-1.323079#.Ui36buUZm8o

Therefore, we have an overall success rate of 80%. For the children’s cases alone our
success rate is 86%.
Herewith a breakdown of our total cases per province:
Province Cases Reported
Gauteng 251
Western Cape 172
Kwazulu Natal 57
Eastern Cape 19
Mpumalanga 17
North West 8
Free State 8
Limpopo 5
Northern Cape 3

http://www.crimestatssa.com/MCSA - Media Release.pdf

SAPS has the Highest Rate of Missing Child Recovery in the World

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

It is obvious that children go missing from all over the country, but I have not read about any other geographical area in the country where so many children go missing.

Exactly my point

Because news outside of the Western Cape does not sell. Sad reality is the media does not care if a black child from Eastern Cape goes missing.

 

[blunomore]

Exactly my point

Because news outside of the Western Cape does not sell. Sad reality is the media does not care if a black child from Eastern Cape goes missing.

Either that, or it is not well reported, meaning the parents are not reporting all cases to SAPS - for various reasons.

 

[Nerfherder]

Exactly my point

Because news outside of the Western Cape does not sell. Sad reality is the media does not care if a black child from Eastern Cape goes missing.

Its a worldwide phenomenon.. blond hair, blue eyes, girl = news. Any one else is not important.

Terribly sad.

 

[STS]

Either that, or it is not well reported, meaning the parents are not reporting all cases to SAPS - for various reasons.

most are reported, just most don't get news coverage as it's been said. it's very sad, there have even been kidnapping attempted at malls if i remember correctly where they grab girls, take them to the bathrooms and shave their heads. don't know if it's true or not now

 

[blunomore]

Its a worldwide phenomenon.. blond hair, blue eyes, girl = news. Any one else is not important.

Terribly sad.

Shaskia Michaels, the girl who went missing in Mitchell's Plain, does not fit into the definition of Missing White Woman syndrome you refer to, yet the case received a lot of media coverage.

 

[blunomore]

most are reported, just most don't get news coverage as it's been said. it's very sad, there have even been kidnapping attempted at malls if i remember correctly where they grab girls, take them to the bathrooms and shave their heads. don't know if it's true or not now

To what end?

 

[genetic]

Children go missing all the time and the only reason why MPlain gets media attention is because of publications like Die Son and the fact that only bad news from the DA's Western Cape sells.

Years ago I worked on some stuff for Missing Children and it was shocking to see the number of reports coming in each week across the country.

Not true. Watch SABC's missing children inserts and you will see most are from the rest of SA. Also local publications in the rest of SA report of missing children.

Reporting is generally localised to the region where the person has gone missing.

 

[w1z4rd]

Exactly my point

Because news outside of the Western Cape does not sell. Sad reality is the media does not care if a black child from Eastern Cape goes missing.

Pretty much this. Unless you can rubbish the Western Cape, no point in publishing the story.

 

[STS]

Shaskia Michaels, the girl who went missing in Mitchell's Plain, does not fit into the definition of Missing White Woman syndrome you refer to, yet the case received a lot of media coverage.

i think he's talking more international coverage to cover the demographics. madelein mccain was an example, despite a number of kids going missing at the same time

 

[noxibox]

What is most often reported in the newspaper is essentially worthless. It is in fact probably simply skewed toward poor areas. Although without detailed breakdowns of where and by whom these children are taken it is effectively impossible for a parent to make a proper risk assessment (many just go for hysteria and panic).

And experts agree that many are the victims of child sex-trafficking gangs, muthi murders and even fathers committing infanticide to avoid paying maintenance.

Many are likely taken in situations where there is a custody dispute too.

 

[Nerfherder]

Shaskia Michaels, the girl who went missing in Mitchell's Plain, does not fit into the definition of Missing White Woman syndrome you refer to, yet the case received a lot of media coverage.

Compare her to what kind of attention is given to a white girls disappearance though.


I heard about Shaskia Michaels only once before this thread.

 

[Nerfherder]

i think he's talking more international coverage to cover the demographics. madelein mccain was an example, despite a number of kids going missing at the same time

Still makes international news every time someone even mentions her name.


I'm not hating in any way... my child will most likely have blond hair and blue eyes. I'm just saying its disproportionate attention.

 

[R13...]

I heard in the news that SA has the highest murder rate of children. The murder rate of children here is double of the worst anywhere else

 

[Nerfherder]

I heard in the news that SA has the highest murder rate of children. The murder rate of children here is double of the worst anywhere else

I doubt that.

There are places where children are actively recruited to be soldiers and other places where they are openly sold in to slavery.

Its bad here but not anything like the worst in the world.

 

[R13...]

I doubt that.

There are places where children are actively recruited to be soldiers and other places where they are openly sold in to slavery.

Its bad here but not anything like the worst in the world.

Possible. Conflict zones are notoriously hard to count in terms of crimes, etc. I guess they're comparing with places where you can get reliable stats.

 

[blunomore]

i think he's talking more international coverage to cover the demographics. madelein mccain was an example, despite a number of kids going missing at the same time

In that case, no SA missing person fits the description, because missing SA people never get reported internationally .... which is obviously makes no sense, so you'd be more accurate to refer to NATIONAL reporting of cases, in which case Leigh Matthews comes to mind.