Former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Thando Mngomeni has been reported missing by his family, with mounting concern surrounding his whereabouts as no one close to him has seen or heard from him in over a month.
Mngomeni, a beloved figure in South African football circles, was last seen in mid-June, and despite several leads, his family is still searching for answers.
The Siya crew contacted Mngomeni's sister Pat Maki who provided insight on the situation.
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“I’m Thando’s older sister, and as a family, we are deeply concerned because no one knows where he is – we’re all looking for him. Even those close to him, who would usually know his whereabouts, have no idea where he is,” his sister told Soccer Laduma.
She went on to explain the timeline leading up to his disappearance.
“I last spoke to him on June 16, which was a public holiday, and we were together. I last saw him a day or two later, on the 17th or 18th of June, here at home in Gugulethu. He was waiting for his friend Musa to come and pick him up.
“But now Musa also doesn’t know where Thando is. He told us he last saw Thando on the same day I did. According to Musa, he and Thando left together with Thando’s girlfriend that day. We believe she may be the last person who saw him.”
Conflicting accounts have only deepened the family's anxiety, and the name of the girlfriend is not known to Maki.
“A guy we spoke to said he saw Thando and his girlfriend coming out of a B&B, and that Thando told him they were heading to Johannesburg. But when we spoke to the girlfriend, she claims she doesn’t know where he is. She gets upset and doesn’t want to be questioned about him.
“Even Thabo, our older brother, has tried calling her, but she denied ever saying anything about Thando’s whereabouts. We’re hearing so many different stories – some say he might be in Khayelitsha and others suggest different places.”
The family has also been made aware of a circulating voice note that claims Thando is "okay" – but that he doesn’t want anyone to know his location.
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“There’s also a voice note going around saying Thando is fine and that we shouldn’t worry, but he doesn’t want anyone to know where he is. All we’re asking is that he at least says something to confirm that he’s safe. We can’t just take a voice note at face value when we don’t even know who it came from.”
Soccer Laduma attempted to call Thando Mngomeni to provide his own perspective on why his family is unable to locate him, but his phone repeatedly goes to voicemail.
The Mngomeni family is appealing to the public for any information that could help locate Thando or confirm his safety.
If you have any information, please contact:
- Pat: 081 259 3096
- Lunga: 071 165 9544
