Lathitha Mtolo, 7, from Marikana location in Kokstad, southern KZN has been missing since last Thursday, February 26.
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The disappearance of a seven-year-old girl has sparked a storm of alarm and dark speculation in the Greater Kokstad Municipality, forcing local leadership to issue an urgent plea for calm as volatile rumours of ritual abduction circulate on social media.
Lathitha Mtolo, 7, from the Marikana location in Kokstad went missing last Thursday afternoon. According to reports the child was playing with friends and did not return home. She was wearing a light blue track top with colorful short pants and purple flip flops.
Addressing the matter on Monday, the municipality said the South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched a formal inquiry into the child’s whereabouts.
The municipality's statement came after widespread speculation that the child had been kidnapped for witchcraft.
The municipality has urged residents to curb the spread of unverified information and to allow law enforcement to conduct their search without interference.
The municipality appealed for calm, community cooperation, and coordination during active searches.
"Please allow the police to conduct their work without interference," the municipality stated.
At the weekend, mayor Lwanda Madikizela, alongside the council whip Phumzile Nocanda, and the Women’s Commission chairperson, Zodidi Tshazi, visited the family to offer their assistance during this "profoundly difficult time."
The municipality has warned that online rumour-mongering serves only to hinder the investigation. Instead, the municipality has directed residents to rely on official channels, promising that further details will be provided by the SAPS as they become available.
For now, the focus remains firmly on the search operation. The municipality has appealed to anyone with concrete information on the missing girl to contact the SAPS Kokstad Station Commander, Colonel Ralph Ruyters, directly at 082 417 7957, rather than taking to social media.
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