Cape Town - In a grim conclusion to the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign on Tuesday, police appealed to the public to help find missing 61-year-old Hester Luke from the Karoo, and Stellenbosch University student Asanele Same.
A search party found some of Luke’s personal items, including underwear, shoes and a pair of tights in bushes near the N1.
She was reported missing by a family member on November 30, said police spokesperson Chris Spies.
“A search party, consisting of various units in the police and the community, was established to trace her.
“The search resulted in the discovery of some personal items, including underwear, shoes and a (pair of) tights during the past week in bushes near the N1. A trained police blood, fluid and semen dog was dispatched to search this area to assist with the search, without any trace of her,” said Spies.
Luke is slender built, has short hair and weighs about 60kg.
Same was last seen on December 6.
“We are greatly concerned about MSc student, Asanele Same, who has been reported missing at SAPS. According to social media posts, she was last seen on Friday,” Stellenbosch University posted on their social media on Tuesday.
Hester Luke
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the search for Same continued.
“The search for the missing Same of Suurbessie Straat, Idas Valley continues. She was reported missing by her brother at Stellenbosch SAPS (on Monday night). According to reports she was last seen at the University of Stellenbosch campus on Friday at about 1.42am,” said Van Wyk.
Meanwhile residents of Mitchells Plain in Tafelsig were left reeling in shock after the murder of 10-year-old Ayesha Kelly on Sunday.
She was caught in gang crossfire. Police made a breakthrough hours later, arresting two suspects, one of them reportedly known to the child’s family.
Community activist Lucinda Evans said the conclusion of the 16 Days campaign “should mark the beginning of 365 days of activism”.
“I have long stopped believing in the 16 days campaign because awareness around gender-based violence should be a focus throughout the year.
“We need to focus on those who are vulnerable, especially those in the rural areas.
“The momentum for gender-based violence awareness in rural areas has to increase drastically.
“There is a lot of momentum in the metro areas and we are grateful for that but after doing awareness drives in rural areas such as Napier, Caledon and Swellendam, the outcry has been the same from the police and the communities.
“They want the resources that metro areas have. We need Thuthuzela centres and we need more manpower in those areas,” said Evans.
Molo Songololo director Patric Solomons said awareness campaigns around gender-based violence continued to be important.
“Throughout the year and in the months leading up to the awareness period, there were high profile cases and lots of attention was on the issue as there were court cases dealing with rapes and murders of women and children as well as successful convictions.
“However, the campaign itself is still very broad and there is no specific intervention being done.
“We need a more focused intervention which has permanency.
“Victims are still being stigmatised when they report sexual crimes so training in all spheres of public services has to be done.
‘‘We need to identify something specific to focus on, pull those resources and create a lasting impact,” said Solomons.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Luke or Same can contact their respective case investigating officers on 0798940018, or 0825594646 or anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860010111 or sms Crime Line on 32211.
@CapeTimesSA