Cape Town – November 18 marked six months since the disappearance of 23-year-old John Bothma of Gauteng, who was last seen in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The authorities and local families are continuing the search for him, as well as for 28-year-old Mushfiq Daniels from Surrey Estate, who went missing while teaching English in that country.
Bothma went missing in May, just before he was about to fly back to South Africa, while Daniels disappeared in July.
Both went to Vietnam to teach English and were last seen in Ho Chi Minh City.
Santjie Dixon, who has cared for Bothma since he was a minor, said the families were no closer to finding the men.
“The Vietnamese went out of their way to support Coleen (Bothma’s mother) during her visit. But it did not bring any answers. They have put pressure on the authorities, security and the police. But still no answers.
“Thanh, a colleague of John, took leave and went to Ho Chi Minh City with Coleen and visited all the places he stayed at and visited Faheema (Daniels’s mother) as well. She also did reports for Mushfiq as well as John.
“We are grateful to that family. They were very hospitable to John and later to Coleen,” Dixon said.
She thanked the public for their support and prayers for John and Mushfiq’s safe return.
“Prayer has carried us and we can feel that people are very caring,” Dixon added.
Daniels’s mother, Faheema who is currently in Ho Chi Minh City, said she will soon have to make the tough decision on whether to come back to South Africa without her son.
She said there had been no new leads. “I will have to leave it in the hands of the authorities. I have done everything in my power. I’m not giving up, just giving over for now.
"I am still in Ho Chi Minh City. I need to make the hardest decision soon, whether to come back to South Africa without Mushfiq,” she said.
Department of International Relations and Co-operation spokesperson Clayson Monyela said there was no update on the cases.
“We continue to render consular services to the families,” he said.
So far donations towards logistics and investigative services rendered to the Daniels family have reached over R70 000. To donate visit: campaign https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/find-mushfiq