Seven-year-old Lathitha Mtolo, from Marikana location in Kokstad, has been missing since last week.
Image: Facebook
Tensions in Kokstad have reached a breaking point as the search for seven-year-old Lathitha Mtolo, missing from the Marikana area for several days, has been marred by a wave of vigilante violence and arson.
Lathitha, 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. Police said on Wednesday that human trafficking may be linked to the case.
Local authorities issued a stern warning to residents on Wednesday, stating that “taking the law into your own hands” is directly sabotaging the police’s ability to find the missing child and prosecute those responsible.
The appeal for calm comes after at least three houses were set alight by community members acting on unverified reports of suspects involved in Lathitha’s abduction.
Greater Kokstad Municipality (GKM) mayor Lwanda Madikizela, confirmed that the unrest has escalated to the point where police intervention, including the potential use of tear gas, is becoming a necessary risk to maintain public order.
“We started to see people burning houses based on untested information yesterday," Mayor Madikizela said during a media briefing.
“We don't want anyone to be arrested (for) creating public disorder. It is our responsibility to restore order in our town.”
The SAPS leadership in Kokstad emphasised that while the community’s frustration is understandable, the destruction of property provides a shield for criminals.
Kokstad station commander, Colonel Ralph Ruiters, said that investigators suspect human trafficking may be a factor in the disappearance.
However, he warned that mob justice creates a “threat” to the professional gathering of evidence.
“We urge you not to jeopardise the investigation; burning the houses of alleged suspects only harms the case,” authorities stated.
The municipality has deployed social workers and disaster teams, to support Lathitha’s family during the ongoing investigation.
While the leadership acknowledges the “heinous” nature of the crime, they are pleading with residents to allow the law to take its course.
“Let us march as we are frustrated, but let us not destroy the infrastructure,” the mayor urged, noting that the destruction of municipal property only adds a financial burden to an already grieving community.
A major police operation is scheduled for today as SAPS intensifies its search for the seven-year-old.
Authorities have reiterated that any information regarding Lathitha’s whereabouts should be funnelled through official police channels rather than handled through “criminal elements” that lead to instability.
If you have any information on Lathitha, contact Colonel Ruiters at 082 417 7957
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