Baby Tankiso Semoisi. Photo: Supplied
Nearly three months after seven-month-old Tankiso Semoisi went missing, his whereabouts remain unknown, prompting renewed calls for anyone with information to help establish what happened to the baby.
Missing in Southern Africa (MISA) NPC has expressed continued concern over the case, with efforts to locate Tankiso yet to produce confirmed information about his whereabouts.
Tankiso was last seen after leaving his home in Palm Ridge, Katlehong, with his mother, Reitumetse Mthabeleng Semoisi, 32. The date they left is unknown, but she reportedly returned home without the child on 11 July 2026.
Semoisi was subsequently arrested and charged with child neglect. She appeared before the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 26 October, where the matter was postponed to 25 November for further investigation.
MISA Head of Communications Priya Ranchod attended court on Monday alongside the investigating officer in an effort to speak directly to Semoisi and obtain information that could assist the search for Tankiso.
However, the meeting did not provide the clarity needed to establish the child's whereabouts. According to MISA, Semoisi maintained that she had handed Tankiso over to his father and paternal aunt. She reportedly claimed that the baby was in Ladysmith but could not provide a specific address or location where he could be found.
MISA also raised concerns that the telephone number reportedly linked to the child's alleged father could not be reached, making it difficult to verify the information and follow up on the claims.
An earlier missing person appeal issued by Eden Park SAPS stated that Semoisi had allegedly left her Palm Ridge home with Tankiso without informing her family where she was going. She reportedly returned on 11 July without him and allegedly failed to provide a clear explanation of his whereabouts.
MISA has stressed that finding Tankiso and confirming his safety remain the primary concerns. The organisation is appealing to anyone who may have seen the child, knows who he could be staying with or has information about his movements since July to come forward.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact Sergeant NC Mdladlamba of the Katlehong Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit on **071 675 7294**. All information will be treated with strict confidentiality.
As the search continues, MISA is urging the public to keep Tankiso's disappearance in the spotlight and share any credible information with the investigating team.
With the child still unaccounted for, the organisation is appealing for public assistance to help authorities establish his whereabouts and determine whether he is safe.
